The Watcher
by Kyo-Farrunner
Summary: She left to create her own path, now she watches, protecting them from the threats of the unkown. When war begins to brew she finds herself right in the middle, can she save her home? Or will the devil take her soul before she can?
1. Watcher in the night

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters, I can only claim the plot line of this fanfiction.**

**This is a diffrent fic from Shattered Steel, which I will hopefully come back to in the future for some criticing. This story is alittle diffrent...and possibly crazy? Blame the overworkings of my mind, lol. Anyway, without further adeu, I give you...Crimson Dance.**

* * *

The woman crouched silently in the thick cover that the tree branches provided, her emerald colored eyes peering out at what was once her home. She hadn't stepped foot within those gates in five years to the day.

She had watched both her friends leave, and she had strived to grow stronger, hoping that if she trained her body, her heart would handle the news of their death, should it come. How she missed them, her boys, and all her friends of the village, but she couldn't go back. She remembered the day all those years ago, as if it had happened just yesterday,

* * *

_ Tsunade called Sakura into her office, suprisingly sobber, despite the late hour. Sakura had walked into the office, smiling fading at the angry frown that marred her teacher's face. The woman rarely smiled, but she rarely looked so angry either. Sakura knew something was up, so she had calmly sat in the chair across from the blonde. She knew Tsunade would speak when she was ready, and she didn't have to wait long,_

_ "Your father was just in to see me."_

_ Sakura couldn't stop the flinch at the mention of her father, he had changed after her mother's death. Had gone from the kind ruler of the Haruno clan, to a cold man who was nothing but bitter rage, and he aimed it at his ownly child._

_ The Haruno clan was nothing more than a small civilian clan, Sakura was the only shinobi who came from the clan in the last thirty years. Her mother, had died from a cancer that ate away at her bones and blood, Sakura had found it too late to save her, and her father blamed her. As if she didn't blame herself already,_

_ "And...what did my father want?"_

_ Sakura asked the question, even though she already knew what her father wanted, same thing he had been after for the last six months. He wanted Sakura to marry Kumo-Sama's oldest son Aka, and she always refused. Kumo Aka was a pig, he flirted with every woman he laid eyes on, and slept with over half of them. Sakura thought of him as nothing more than a greasy slim ball and she would die before she married him,_

_ "Your father and Kumo-Sama have come to a formal agreement. Your father brought the signed form to me today. Sakura...I'm so sorry, but there is nothing I can do. I can't stop this."_

_ Sakura stared down at her hands, she knew that if her teacher was telling her she couldn't do anything, then there was nothing that could be done. Sakura would have to marry Kumo Aka, and there was nothing either woman could do about it. An idea hit Sakura suddenly, it was dangerous and crazy, and would hurt many people, but she wouldn't marry Aka, she just couldn't do it,_

_ "Tsunade-shishou, I'm sorry, but I wont marry him."_

_ The Hokage of the village hidden in the leaves stared at her apprentice, plans forming behind her hazel eyes. She wished she could simply tell Haruno-san and Kumo-san to go to hell, but she knew she couldn't. She was entrusted with keeping her village safe and peaceful, but she didn't have the power to stop civilian matters, such as arranged marriges. She was just afraid of what her student would do,_

_ "What are you planning Sakura?"_

_ Sakura met her master's eyes, the normal humor and cheer gone from those bottomless greens eyes. Replaced by determination, bitterness and anger that she was being backed into a corner. Those who knew the pinkette, knew not to back her in a corner, take her choice away, and she would die before she would give in,_

_ "Its better you don't know Shishou. Just know that my loyalty is to my village first and foremost. I will die before it I ever let harm come to it."_

_ Sakura stood with a forced smile, she knew what she was about to do was reckless and crazy, that it would break her teacher and her friends hearts. She just prayed that someday, they would all understand, that she did this to protect herself, and them. If she married Aka, he would force her to retire, to be a house wife and a baby machine._

_ "Sakura...be safe."_

_ Sakura threw one last smile over her shoulder, this one edged with something dark and dangerous. Tsunade could see the Sakura who had made bingo books, peeking out from those green eyes, than she was gone. A cool breeze coming through the now open window of her office, ruffling the papers on her desk._

_ She knew Sakura would be gone by morning, that she would be marked as a deserter and a traitor. Just as she knew, that as long as Sakura was alive, she would fight to protect the village from harm. Perhaps she would even do more for them outside than she ever could have inside._

* * *

A twig snapping from the road below, drew the green eyes of the figure downward, to search the darkness for what had caused the disturbance. The woman in the tree froze, eyes widening, she couldn't believe it, after all these years, there they were,

Three figures strode out of the darkness, the younger two were leading, the blond man, tall and muscular was talking happily with the other man, waving his arms about as he spoke. The other man, standing just alittle shorter than the other man, his dark hair just brushing his shoulders, his look of indiffrence almost perfect, but she could see he was paying attention to his companion. An older man, strolled calmly behind the younger men, eyes amused as he listened to the blond talk.

Sakura shifted slightly, thinking quickly, she had to speak to them, but did she dare allow them to know who she was? No, that would be dangerous, but so would talking to them. Before she could change her mind, she blurred into movement. Dropping directly from her hidden branch to the road infront of them.

* * *

Naruto couldn't help but bounce along happily beside his best friend, for the first time in years, things where right again. He had his best friend back, and had even gotten him to come home. Yeah, Itachi wasn't dead yet, he had somehow managed to slip out during their fight, leaving a clone behind, but that didn't matter. Sasuke was coming back to the village with him and Ero-sannin, he couldn't wait to tell Sakura that he had finally managed to keep his promise to her,

"I bet Sakura is super strong now! After all these years training with Baa-chan she must be really tough."

Sasuke through a glance over to his blonde friend, his mask of indiffrence never dropping from his face. He couldn't believe how much had changed about the blonde, the once petite annoying kid with the squeaky voice, had matured. He was now just touching six foot, his sunshine blond hair just brushed his collarbone, and he had filled out, muscles playing tightly under tanned skin. Even his voice had changed, deepening to rumble out, a deep base that suprised him,

"Perhaps, she could probably beat your ass, Dobe."

Naruto felt his grin widden at the familiar insult, as he cast a glance at his friend. Sasuke had changed in the years he'd been gone, grown to almost five ten or so, only an inch shorter then himself. Still almost deathly pale, he was slender, not as broad as Naruto, he had more of a swimmer's build if the blonde had to label it. Even his voice had changed, deeped to a tenor that drove all the woman they had passed nuts,

"Well, Tsunade-baa-chan was always beating on Ero-sannin, so it's only natural. She could probably beat you too, Teme."

Jiraiya smiled to himself in amusement as he listened to the two young men banter back in forth infront of him. It really suprised him how much the two of them had changed, going from angry bickering rivals, to teasing bantering friends. He couldn't help but wonder, how would their female teammate, Tsunade, and even Kakashi, would take their changes, it would be interesting to watch.

"I can't help but wonder...what else did the cute little blossom learn from her sensei? Bet she's finally grown up, eh heh heh."

Both young men stopped to glare at the white haired man, neither would hesitate to gut him, if he even tried to use Sakura for his 'research'. Before Jiraiya could say anything to get himself out of the trouble he just found himself in, something flashed behind his charges, causing him to freeze. Naruto and Sasuke, seeing the older man freeze and stare over their heads turned to find a person now standing on the path, twenty or so feet from them,

"Welcome home."

The voice was soft and lilting, the figure was definintely female, though they couldn't tell who she was. She was dressed head to toe in black, and it all looked old and worn. Her pants and shirt tattered and torn, heeled boots scuffed and creased from long wear. A patched cloak surrounded the woman's thin shoulders, the hood was pulled up over her head, hiding her hair and casting her eyes into shadow. The rest of her face was hidden by a black mask, like the one Kakashi always wore,

"Who are you?"

It was Jiraiya who asked the question, his dark eyes narrowed as he studied the woman opposite them. He would see the weapons that were strapped to her body, but she made no move for any of them, just stood there, staring at the three of them from beneath her hood. Both Naruto and Sasuke seemed in shock at her sudden appearence, none of them had sensed her till she was infront of them,

"I am the watcher."

Sakura watched as all three men stared at her, tense and waiting, expecting her to attack, but she wouldn't attack them. Even after all these years, she still loved them, they were her family, her teammates, her brothers. She felt tears gathering in her eyes, but she would not allow them to fall, she hasn't cried in over five years, she wouldn't do so now. It was just so good to see them, after all these years, alive and whole, and finally home,

"What do you want, and why are you here?"

Sasuke watched as the woman cocked her head to the side to study him, after he voiced his question. He vaguelly wondered if the other's could see the small smile that creased the fabric of her mask, he wished he could see her eyes, to see the intent that he knew lay there,

"Nothing I want can be achieved. I am only here to greet you home after your journey."

Naruto frowned as he glanced at the male beside him, normally the blonde would say something stupid to lighten the tension, but he didn't really know what was going on. Something in his gut was telling him he could trust this female, but he needed answers before he so blindly allowed her to do anything,

"Do you have a name?"

Sakura blinked in shock, her smile widening beneath her mask, it seemed more than their looks had changed. Naruto hadn't yelled or jumped around yet, he had simply asked her for her name, something he wouldn't have thought to do five, six years ago,

"I do."

Sakura would need to leave soon, she wouldn't be able to give them her name, they would try to drag her into the village with them. If she entered the village it would be death for her, she wouldn't be spared like Sasuke would. She wasn't the last of her line, so she wouldn't be kept around to rebuild it, no she would be handed over to her family. Sakura had no doubt her father would have her flogged, and most likely killed for the embaressment she was to the Haruno clan,

"What is your name than?"

Jiraiya asked, fighting with himself, something about this woman was raising flags in his mind. He wasn't sure if it was because he knew her, perhaps he had met her at some point, or was it that the way she held herself. Like a wild animal, approaching humans to steal scraps, but always ready to attack or flee at the slightest shift in movement,

"Jiraiya-sama, my name is of no importance. I gave it up years ago. I would recommend you head into the village now, Hokage-sama is waiting for you. Please inform her that the threat of Kusagakure has been eliminated."

All three males blinked in shock and confusion, as the woman simply turned and strode into the trees, quickly disappearing from sight. All three where wondering if they should go after her, or if they should go report in. Though all of them doubted they would be able to catch up to her, she moved silently and with a steath that spoke of long practice and a knowledge of the surrounding of the terrain,

"Well...perhaps Tsunade knows about this...Watcher. I doubt we can catch up with her now anyway."

Both Jiraiya and Sasuke had to agree with the blonde, it would be best to ask the Hokage about the woman, instead of running around in the dark unable to see. With a sigh Sasuke turned to face the gates that were fifty or so paces away, time to face the music. At least he had Naruto at his side, and the Toad Sage at his back, and he was sure, once she knew he was there. Sakura would also be there at his side, they would face the judgement of the village together.

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**Well...there ya go. Please read and review. The next chapter will be fun, Sasuke and Naruto will talk to Tsunade and find out about their dear Saku-chan. And Sakura will have a run in with the devil.**

**Much love to all of you. Please review my darlings, I love hearing from you.**

**Thanks a million.**


	2. The dispair and danger of the night

**Disclaimer: See chapter one please. I don't want to do the broken record thing...**

**Anywho...chapter two is up, please enjoy.**

* * *

Tsunade studied the three men who stood opposite her with cool eyes. Jiraiya was the only one who seemed the same, the other two had changed quite a bit in the last five and a half years. She knew that both Sasuke and Naruto wanted to go find Sakura and Kakashi, but she hadn't let them. Anbu had greeted them at the gates, and escorted them straight here. She wasn't looking forward to breaking the news to them,

"So your back... Took you three long enough."

Tsunade knew she would have to address the fact that Sasuke Uchiha was back, but at the moment it didn't seem that important. She would have to punish him, not something too harsh, but something. Being the last of the Uchiha was the only thing that would spare his life, unlike her poor student,

"Sorry, Tsunade-baa-chan...but I brought the teme back! I can't wait to tell Sakura."

Pain engulfed her heart at the mention of the pinkette, how she missed her student, all the ninja of the village did. All the civilians though, cursed her name when they learned she had left, even her own father hated her now. They all cursed Sakura...while praising the Night Angel, the figure who protected their village from attack. Many of the villages thought her just that, an Angel, while the shinobi of the village thought of her as a ghost or a shadow, always slipping away before they could catch her,

"Tsunade-chan...we met an interesting person at the gates. Called herself the watcher. Who is she?"

Jiraiya asked, before Tsunade could figure out exactly how to go about telling the boys that their female teammate was gone. The blonde woman couldn't stop her soft smile, she wasn't suprised that they met her, she was still Sakura after all. Under that feral anger and dark clothing was the pinkette they loved, but she wouldn't tell them that, only that Sakura was gone,

"Is that what she called herself? She has many names, Night Angel, Shadow, Ghost, Black Knight, just to name a few. No one really knows who...or even what she is. She showed up about four years ago, she protects the village, so we leave her alone."

Naruto frowned no one knew her name and they just left her alone? She shows up, no one knows her, she helps the village so they just let her hang around? He wasn't sure if that was a smart decision or not, his gut said they could trust her, but they didn't even know who she was. She could be a spy or an infiltrator, but than wouldn't she have done something by now, why wait around helping them for four years?

"She said the threat from Kusagakure was taken care of...what threat?"

Tsunade hid a smirk behind her steepled fingers, yes things had indeed changed with this little group. This wasn't the same Naruto who had left with Jiraiya six years ago, no this man was diffrent. She could see it in those blue eyes, how they darkened in thought, the innocents was still there, but it was tainted by the weight of life,

"There was a group who wished to start a new group, to pick up where Akatsuki left off. I'm glad she stopped them before they could really get started. She destroyed that statue by the way, freeing the seven Bijuu they had already obtained. Apparently they will reform at some point, seeing as they are made purely of chakra...but it will be a hundred years of so from now."

Jiraiya stared at the blonde woman in shocked suprise, he knew that Akatsuki had fallen apart, it didn't really suprise him. They had all turned on each other, killing each other, the only ones still alive were Zetsu, Itachi...and Madara, the others had all died. They were lucky that they hadn't stuck together, hadn't attacked the village.

What shocked the older man was that some unnamed woman had taken out the statue, freeing all those Bijuu so they couldn't be used against them. Why hadn't that thought ever crossed his mind...and how had a single woman done something so impossible all by herself? No wonder no one knew 'what' she was,

"But that is not why I've called you here. I wanted to welcome you all home...and I have to deliver some bad news as well..."

Sasuke narrowed his dark eyes at the blonde Hokage, the way the woman said 'bad news' caused his stomach to tighten. He knew something was wrong when Anbu had met them at the gate, he just wasn't sure what, and he was begining to think it had something to do with Sakura.

"What 'bad news'?"

Tsunade met Sasuke's eyes. staring at him as if searching for something, before she turned to stare at Naruto with the same intensity, both men stared at her silently, ignoring the sounds of Jiraiya shifting behind them. All three men could tell by the solemness of her face that this bad news, was something that was going to hurt them all,

"Five years ago Haruno-san came to me with an official form, stating that Sakura was to be married into the Kumo clan. She ran, we have been unable to find her, last we heard, she was somewhere close to Iwa."

Silence engulfed the room for several moments, all lost deeply in thought. Sasuke's face was blank, none of his thoughts evident, but everyone could sense the anger under the surface, whether from the fact that Sakura's father sold her or because she had actually left, none of them knew.

Naruto seemed to draw into himself, his face contorting in pain, before it seemed to shut down, closing off his emotions. Tsunade caught a brief flash of red before the blond dropped his head to look at his lap. She knew that both pain and anger were warring within him, and she sent up a silent prayer that she could keep him away from Sakura's father. There was no doubt that the man infront of her would kill Haruno for causing his only daughter to flee her home.

Jiraiya was the one who suprised her the most, she saw the anger flash behind his dark eyes, as he watched his student and the Uchiha struggle with their emotions. It seemed that the white haired man didn't like it anymore than the other two, that Sakura had been forced to run off,

"Is there anyway to get her back, Tsunade-Baa-chan?"

All eyes snapped to the blonde jinchuuriki, who never lifted his eyes from his lap, his words whispered softly, as if afraid of the answer. Sasuke wondered if he kept his head down to hide his eyes, or if because he was lost in thought. The dark haired man was betting on the former, he could practically feel the anger rolling off the young man,

"If she comes back, she will either be executed...or forced to marry Kumo Aka, if he would even take her after five years of her being gone. So most likely, if she would come home, she would die."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes in thought, it couldn't be...could it. Sakura had left five years ago..and the Watcher, or Night Angel or whatever had shown up four years ago. But hadn't the Hokage said that Sakura was close to Iwa, and wouldn't she tell them if Sakura was really just right outside the village? Were they really diffrent people, or were they one in the same...he would almost put money on the latter, but he didn't know Sakura like he use too, so she may have really left. He would have to investigate.

Tsunade watched as they took it all in, she watched as a slow smirk stretched across Jiraiya's face, of course he would put the peices together, that was why he was so reliable. And as she watched the suspicion crawl across the Uchiha's face before he schooled his expression. It was Naruto, who once again suprised her, his face perfectly blank, she couldn't tell what he was thinking.

* * *

Sakura sighed in exhaustion as she slipped from the trees, she was finally home. She had spent the last two months hunting down and killing the threat in Kusagakure, and now she was home.

If you could call 'home' a well hidden cave that resided behind a waterfall, she wondered if the Nara family knew that someone had taken up residence on their land. She assumed they hadn't, or else they would be out searching for her to find her purpose.

Sighing softly Sakura allowed her senses to reach out and search the area for threats close by. She had had to move six times in the last four years because people had come close to discovering her home. That she couldn't allow, if she was found and caught, it would mean her life, and that was something she wasn't ready for. She still had work to do before she could die.

Sensing no human's close, and the few animals that would challange her had all moved on to elsewhere, Sakura began undoing her traps. Half were set to incapacitate, the other half set to kill, nothing could get past all her traps unscathed, or so she hoped.

Sakura stopped just inside the the small space with a sigh, the cave wasn't much, just big enough to house a small cot, a fire pit, and the supplies she needed to survive, but it was all she had. Quickly casting a small fire jutsu that she had learned from Kakashi, she lit the torch beside the door.

Pushing her hood from her head, Sakura turned from the wall to face her small cave and froze. There, leaning against the opposite cave wall, was a man, dressed like her in black clothing. It was the swirling red eyes that seemed to glow eerily in the dim light, that told her exactly who her visitor was,

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Uchiha-san?"

Sakura was careful to not make any threatening movements, she wasn't looking for a fight with the man. He may be a traitor to Konoha, and five years ago she would have attacked him on sight, but she couldn't do so yet. If he was seeking the Watcher, than yes, she would fight him, and hopefully kill him. But if Itachi Uchiha was seeking Sakura, the healer, than she would help him, as is her code.

"Kunoichi, I require your services."

Sakura blinked in suprise, before quickly covering her face with a bland expression, he may only be able to see her eyes, but she knew he would be able to read plenty from just that. The way he stated his need for her help could be taken so many diffrent ways, but she knew that he wasn't asking for sex, even if it sounded like he was.

No, Uchiha Itachi was after something else, but what she hadn't figured out yet. What was there that he would come to her for? It must be medical, he could kill anyone so he didn't need her skills with the blade, so for now, she wouldn't attack him.

"What is it you seek from me, Uchiha-san."

Sakura was suprised when she noticed something flicker in those dangerous red orbs, but she couldn't decipher exactly what. It may have been curiousity in those eyes, or perhaps he was just calculating the best way to murder her, all she knew, was that it was dangerous. She wondered if she would get out of this encounter alive,

"I seek a healer, the man suffer's from sever malnutrition."

So the man was after her for her healing skills, at least there wouldn't be a fight...at the moment. She knew better than to trust he would trust her and never attack her, that she would heal his friend, and he would let her go.

No, she would heal his friend, because that was what she had vowed to do, to heal all she could, no matter their standing. She was no longer the naive little girl who believed he would allow her to leave alive. She would heal his friend, than it would be a fight for her life. She still had much to do, before she could die.

"Very well, Uchiha-san. Allow me to rest and gather my supplies. Return here tomorrow, and I shall assist you."

Sakura watched as the man studied her for several moments, before nodding once in understanding. He pushed from the wall, moving with a well defined, lethal grace, as he quickly closed the distance between them. He paused momentarily beside her, staring down at her with a cold expression, a slow blink, and those dangerous eyes flashed to their normal dark, before quickly turning red once more.

Without another word, Uchiha Itachi swept from her cave, calmly undoing than redoing all her traps with ease. Why his ease didn't suprise her, she didn't know, he was after all the infamous Uchiha Itachi, so how could simple traps stop him?

Sakura felt her nostrals flare slightly as she caught the man's destinct scent, a warm cinnamon and wood smoke smell, that made her feel sparks of electricity down her spine. Sakura couldn't help but wonder, was it she the human that was attracted to the man, or was it she the animal that was drawn to him? To his power?

Deciding that it wouldn't really matter, if she tried to find the answer to such a question, she would more than likely die. Sakura begun stripping herself of weapons and clothing, she needed rest and food before tomorrow. Slipping under her thick blankets, Sakura's last thought was of how her boys were handling the news of her being gone, before sleep claimed her.

* * *

**BAM! Chapter two, and pretty epic if I do say so myself.**

**I will get this story out as quickly as I can, but I'm gonna take it slow, ease into it ya know. I made a few mistakes with the plot of Shattered Steel (which in the future shall be redone) That I don't want to repeat with this story.**

**And Hey! If you wanna be a beta, let me know, I could use a second pair of eyes to glance over and fix a few mistakes I miss.**

**Much love,**

**Thanks a million**


	3. Lonely Killers and Enigmas

**Disclaimer: See chapter one.**

**I feel alittle unloved...I have a grand total of two reviews. Yes it hasn't been up long, but alittle love please. **

**Oh, and Ke-ke999, Strata's Stargazer, Angel897, Ambiencealikw, Akatsuki Sakura Uchiha, and Foxgrl18, thank you all for your lovely reviews. I love you all, and please keep it up. Its for people like you that I write.**

* * *

Sakura sighed as she braided long pink tresses, she was already dressed, her cotton mask hung around her neck and her cloak hung from its place on the wall. She had already armed herself and her supplies rested in a pack under her cloak. Itachi would be by soon to take her to tend his friend.

The pinkette couldn't help but wonder though, was 'friend' the right term. She had run into the man a few times in her life, and he was always the same. He always seemed so distant and cold, like a statue that was just out of reach. She wondered if he was lonely, he did seem to always be alone. Did the man even have friends, or just colleagues?

Releasing what felt like the millionth time that day, and the sun was just going down. She wondered what her teammates where doing now, surely Tsunade had told them she was no longer part of the village. She wasn't too worried about Naruto putting the peices together, but Sasuke, he had always been good at puzzles like this one. She feared he would know she was the Watcher, and that he would tell Naruto...than they would come after her.

Pulling her mask up to cover her nose and mouth, Sakura allowed her mind to wonder over yesterdays events. Her boys were finally home, safely where they belonged. Kakashi would take them out for ramen, they would sit there, trying to see his face, without her. She wondered if Kakashi even knew that she, herself had seen his face once.

* * *

_Sakura was just coming back from a trip to Iwa, she was tired, injured, and covered in mud, she just wanted a nice bath and some sleep. A soft noise off to her left caused her to pause, thoughts of the hot spring put off for the time being, as she went in search of what was hiding in the shadows._

_It didn't take her long to find him, her teacher, Hatake Kakashi, leaning against a tree, bleeding from a gash to his ribs. Kneeling quietly beside him, she reached out a hand to touch his covered face, only to notice he was burning with fever. It seemed that a poison had been on the blade that had cut him, she would have to heal him, he wouldn't survive the trip to the hospital, but her cave was much closer._

_Carefully Sakura pushed chakra into her sore muscles, she would need all her strength to move him. Pulling his arm across her shoulders so she could grip his wrist tightly with her hand, she gently wrapped her other arm around his back, careful of his wound. Standing with a grunt she was suprised when she felt the man tense, she had assumed him completely unconscious,_

_"Do not fear, Hatake-san, I am the Watcher. I wish meerly to help you."_

_Sakura had never called Kakashi-sensei by his last name, but she was afraid that if she tried to use his first name she would call him sensei, giving away who she was. She had only been gone for two years, and it wouldn't due for anyone other than Tsunade to know she was the Watcher. Or the Night Angel as the civilians called her, which amused her almost as 'the ghost' which is what the ninja had taken to calling her,_

_"Why?"_

_Sakura couldn't help but smile sadly as she carefully meneuvered Kakashi into her secluded home. She knew bringing him here was dangerous, and that she would have to move once he was well again, and back inside Konoha. For now though, saving the copy-nin was the only thing she was worried about,_

_"I protect Konoha from harm, and you are a vital part of the village."_

_Slowly she eased Kakashi down onto her futon, pulling back to see him studying her with both his eyes, his normal one hazed slightly with fever. Sakura couldn't stop her smile, even though she wasn't sure he could see it, with her mask on and her hood up._

_"I am going to extract the poison from your body. You will be healthy enough to return home in two days max. You have my word."_

_She watched as Kakashi's sharingan swirled lazily for several moment before he closed his eyes with a small nod and a sigh. Slowly she moved from him to get her supplies, she maybe tired, but she couldn't rest till Kakashi was stable._

_Gently using water she had boiled to purify, Sakura begun to extract the poison from his body, shocked by the damage to his system. He was suffering from sever multiple organ failure, his lungs, liver, kidney, and blood clotting mechanism were all damaged. She would have to work all night for him to survive, but in her mind, failure was not an option. Kakashi was the father she wished she would have had._

_It took hours, the sun was just slipping over the horizon when the last of the damage had been undone. Now she just needed to get alittle water into the man, and he would be well with rest. She would feed him after a few hours of rest, but the water couldn't wait,_

_"Hatake-san, I need you to drink some water."_

_Sakura blinked when Kakashi didn't even stir from his sleep, she wanted nothing more than to let him rest, but he needed the water. His body was slightly dehydrated from the healing and from spending so much time in the woods without water,_

_"Hatake-san...Hatake-san you need to wake up, please...Kakashi-san?...Kakashi-sensei, please?"_

_Sakura froze when his name passed from her lips, it felt so good to call his sensei again, but she was lucky, he didn't stir a muscle. It seemed his body had shut down in a healing sleep, so he didn't know her secret. She trusted him that if he found out he wouldn't use it against her, but it wasn't a risk she was willing to take._

_Sighing Sakura pulled her mask down from her face and took a sip of water, careful not to swallow, swiftly she pulled Kakashi's mask down as well and sealed her lips over his, pushing the water into his mouth. Sakura allowed herself a small smile when she felt him swallow, before repeating the process over again._

_She wondered briefly what people would say, if they knew she was essentially kissing her old teacher. Pulling back after she was satisfied with the amount of water he had drunk, she studied his face. It seemed that all their stories of what lay under the cotton mask had been wrong._

_His face was smooth, and almost completely flawless, the only mar coming from the scar over his eye. He was handsome, all clean angles and smooth plains, lips slightly chapped but not too large or too thin. She figured he hid his face all these years so as to not draw attention, his looks would definitely do that._

* * *

The sound of a twig snapping drew her gaze to the mouth of the cave, without looking away, she pulled her cloak on, and the hood up over her head, covering her hair and eyes. She assumed it was Uchiha Itachi coming to collect her, but incase it was not, she pulled her katana from its sheath.

She did not have to wait long before a shadow appeared before the entrance to her home, she could see the crimson eyes staring out at her from a shadowed face. Slowly, so as to not provoke the silent man, Sakura slid her katana into its sheath. Without breaking eye contact Sakura nodded in greeting.

"Kunoichi."

Sakura knew she was playing a dangerous game, but she never looked away from those eyes. She knew that he wouldn't kill her now, he needed her, but when their business was done, than it was anyone's guess what would happen. Finally pulling her eyes from Itachi's, she retrieved her bag from the ground,

"Uchiha-san, good evening. I assume you are to take me to my patient now?"

Sakura could feel the man's eyes on her, studying her, as if she were some great puzzle he wished to put together. He wondered what he saw, as she did with all who saw her. Did he see a woman, surviving the only way she could? Or did he see the animal that she was becoming, cold and vicious? Than she wondered why she cared what he thought,

"Hai."

With that he turned and strode from the cave, Sakura couldn't help the small incredulous smile that crossed her lips under her black mask, before she followed him from the cave. A man of few words, Uchiha Itachi, but he always seemed to get his point across, but she wouldn't question him, he hadn't offered violence...yet anyway.

* * *

Itachi watched the woman from his peripheral vision, as she walked silently beside him. He was mildly suprised by her skills, not only did she move with a deathly, silent grace, like a giant jungle cat. Her skills as a ninja were a suprise to him as well, her traps would keep all but someone of his level from her home, and she had sensed his arrival.

He did not truely believe her a threat, she like him, was watching out for Konoha, but he couldn't help but wonder, what were her reasons. He assumed she must be a ninja from the village, but than why live outside its wall, in caves and holes, instead of inside, with a house?

He had watched her for over three months, formulating the perfect plan by which to approach her. He wasn't sure who she was, or what she had let herself become. She worked for the safety of the village, but lived and acted like an animal. All he really knew was that she was a skilled medic and a powerful fighter.

What suprised him the most, was that she didn't show fear around him, even those wide green eyes of hers seemed to speak of the ferality of something ready to fight and kill if backed into a corner. He was not worried about her harming him, or his colleagues, he had warned them about not antagonizing her, but he would be watchful either way.

He would have her heal their fourth member, and perhaps even let her live. She protected his village, and didn't seem to intend harm to it or its inhabitants, so she was not really a threat. Plus if he allowed her to live, he could use her as a healer for his group again, should need arise, fore none of them were skilled with such a thing.

Finally, after almost six hours of walking, they reached the boarder to the Fire Country, they would be crossing over into the Grass Country soon. Stopping, Itachi stared out over the wide open plains before them for several moments, before turning to once again study the petite woman beside him.

She was oddly beautiful, standing there silently under the half moon, her green eyes seeming to glow softly under her hood. He wondered briefly why she wore it in his presence, he had already seen her without it. He assumed it was much the same reason he still wore a cloak, a comfort, a thing of habit.

"You will be blindfolded and carried from this moment forth."

He was shocked when the woman meerly looked up at him from beneath that hood, that he was slowly beginning to despise. She studied him for several moments, as if looking for something, unafraid to meet his eyes, eyes that so many feared. Apparently she found what she was looking for, because she simply nodded once, before turning her back to him, and pushed her hood from her head.

Itachi blinked in shock, how was it the woman kept suprising him. First she is not weak, like he expected, than she is calm where others would be upset and nervous, now she willing turns her back on an S-class criminal? Was she really that brave or just naive, or perhaps a mixture of both, only time would tell he supposed.

Absently taking notice of the soft, thick pink braid that fell from inside the hood of her cloak, he gently wrapped the cloth around her eyes. That hair was familiar, but for some reason he could not quite place where from, he was sure it would come to him with time. Once finished knotting the fabric behind her head, he gently picked her up within his arms, cradling her against his chest.

He briefly wondered why he didn't just toss her over his shoulder like he would any other, but decided it wasn't worth dwelling on. He was probably doing it to keep her comfortable and from harm, he needed her to tend to his colleague after all.

With a soft barely audible sigh, and no more words, Itachi took off across the ground at a swift pace. They would reach the safe house within an hour at this pace, he was both relieved, and annoyed. He needed his colleague healthy if they were to fight the coming force that threatened them, but he didn't want him back. If he had, had the option, he would have left the man in the rotting hole where they found him.

Picking up the pace he tried to leave his thought behind, but he didn't succeed, no the wonderful smell of wild blossoms and vanilla quickly pulled his thoughts to the enigma in his arms. She was a puzzle, something soft and gentle, yet harsh and vicious, and he would figure out all the answers she held.

* * *

**Okay..can anyone guess who poor Sakura will have to heal? I mean its not that hard. and yes it is intentionally vague about who it is, and who his teammates are. I'm pretty sure who I'm gonna use, I mean they're my favs, but if you want to give me your ideas for consideration, go ahead.**

**I love hearing from you, I really do. It's great and makes me feel good about myself and my writtings. So please review and tell me what you think, even if you hate it, I just want to know. There is always room for inprovement right, because even the finished copy will be far from perfect.**

**Thanks a million**


	4. Forgotten Name

**Disclaimer: Please see chapter 1.**

**Hey everybody, thank you all for your lovely reviews. Ambiencealikw pointed it out hard to believe that Itachi doesn't really recognize Sakura, but you have to remember. Everytime they ever ran into each other he never really paid attention to her. She was kinda background noise. Plus her face is covered, so all he has seen is her hair and her eyes, but his mind was on other things at the time. He'll figure it out once he focuses completely on her, so don't worry.**

**Anyway, Happy Valentine's day to all, and on with the chapter.**

* * *

Sasuke shifted slightly as he glanced over to his blonde friend before turning his eyes to study the Hokage. He didn't like the fact that his friend seemed so drawn into himself, lost in his own thoughts, but he could do nothing about it at the moment. No, he had to answer all the questions of the only female in the room, before he could try and get answers himself from his friend,

"So you decided to return. Why, last we heard you hadn't killed Itachi yet?"

Sasuke glanced down at his hands, thoughts and answers breezing quickly through his head. He would give her all his reasons, but should he tell her the important one's now and the small reasons later, or should he just give her all the reasons now? He wasn't sure he had puzzled out all the answers himself yet. With a small sigh, Sasuke looked up, locking his dark eyes onto the honey colored eyes of Tsunade-sama,

"Itachi would not wish me to listen to the fanatical ravings of a mad man. He would not wish for me to destroy this village, that still to this day he protects."

Sasuke saw Naruto glance up with a small frown, as he turned to study his raven haired companion. That was not the reason that he had given the blonde male, but he figured that if he gave the Hokage the same reason she wouldn't take it well.

"So why return? Why not seek out your brother and assist him?"

Naruto couldn't stop the grin that slowly worked its way onto his face when his friend remained silent. It seemed that the stoic Uchiha wasn't going to tell Baa-chan the reason behind his return. Grin widening almostly evil, it was he who answered,

"Why, Baa-chan, Sasuke-teme here was homesick. He wanted to see all the peophmph."

Naruto was cut off when Sasuke swiftly lashed out, kicking the blond man's chair over, sending him crashing to the ground with a thud. Naruto groaned slightly when his head collided with the floor, before letting loose a happy laugh,

"Dobe. I have learned enough to kill my brother if I wish. I am here to see if this village is still corrupt, and if so, can it be saved."

Tsunade frowned as she watched the still grinning Naruto roll to his feet. It seemed that Sasuke was here to decided if the village should be destroyed or not, at least that is what it seemed he was implying. Before she could say anything, Jiraiya butted in, a grin on his face almost wide enough to rival Naruto's,

"That's not what you told us, gaki. _Is Sakura safe? Will they forgive me if I come home? I want to go home? Please Naruto...Jiraiya-sama...take me home!"_

Sasuke couldn't stop the snarl that bubbled up from his throat as he glared at the older male, sharingan spinning angrily in his eyes. He. Did. Not. Sound. Like. That. and he did not beg like the white haired shinobi was implying.

"If you have changed this village, than my loyalty is with you. If you are still corrupt, and use underhanded methods to achieve your means, than I'll destroy you all."

Tsunade rubbed her eyes in exhausted exasberation, she was surrounded by children, she really needed sake, but no, Shizune had to go and remove it all from her office earlier. Glaring at the dark haired man, who was clearly too big for his breeches, she growled out,

"I am changing things as quickly as I can. Luckly...our local guardian took out Danzo two years ago. It makes changes easier when I'm not being fought ever step of the way."

Sasuke froze, Danzo was dead, how? He would have gladly killed the old man, it was his orders that had killed the entire Uchiha clan, and banished his brother to exile, but the unnamed woman had killed him? How had she done it, she was skilled sure, but to take out such a political person, who was always guarded? It couldn't be Sakura, she wouldn't have ever managed to become so strong, stronger than before, yes, but strong enough to take on root and Danzo? He couldn't see it. It seemed he owed this 'Night Angel' his thanks.

"I...see."

Jiraiya couldn't believe what he was hearing, what indeed was the right question for the petite woman who had greeted them outside the gates of the village. She couldn't be a simple human kunoichi, she had to be something else, something powerful and frightning. Yes, Danzo was human, and could die, but to get to him, and to kill him, was nigh impossible. She just couldn't be a normal human,

"So...tell me, how did you meet up with Jiraiya and the Gaki?"

Sasuke sighed, it was really easy actually, he had simply went looking for a Konoha ninja to reveal himself too. It couldn't be just any shinobi though, it had to be one that wouldn't attack him on sight. He had gotten luck when he stumbled across the fox-boy and his perverted mentor. Before he could answer Naruto had launched into a story, all cheerful grins and bright blue eyes, though Sasuke could still see the pain in those eyes.

Naruto may have matured, may have grown even, but he was still the same dobe. Hiding his pain behind smiles and laughter, just as he did now. He could tell just by watching the blond smile and wave his arms around as he talked, that the grief and guilt from Sakura disappearing was weighing in on him. And he knew that Naruto felt guilt for Sakura having to leave, just as he did, if they had been here, they may have been able to protect her.

Deep inside though, he knew that there would have been little they could have done. They could have fought against people with weapons, but not people with paper. They were shinobi, and they didn't have the ability to just change the law to help a friend in need. Sasuke swore a silent vow, that he would get that stupid law changed, so no one else would be forced to flee their home to escape being married to someone they hated, as he sat back to listen to his friend. Casually throwing in comments about things that the blond exagerated on or simply forgot.

* * *

Sakura held as still as possible, trying to remain small and light in Itachi's arms. She was afraid if she wiggled or fidgeted he would sling her over his shoulder and carry her like a sack of rice, which was one thing she didn't want. To say she had been suprised when he had swept her up into his arms would be an understatement, but she was grateful to him for not being rough.

Though, she reminded herself, the only reason he was being polite was for two reasons, one she had been nothing but respectful toward him, showing no hostility, not that it would save her. And two, he needed her, she wondered briefly who her patient would be, and how bad they were. All she knew was that they were malnourished, she didn't even know how bad they were, or what had caused the malnutrition.

Sakura was suprised when she had felt the firm muscles that hid under Itachi's cloak, she figured he would be built more like his brother. She could feel the steel corded bicept muscles against her shoulders and under her knees as he flexed slightly with ever swift step. Scolding herself silently when her mind wondered with thoughts of seeing his muscles uncovered.

She couldn't figure out what was wrong with her, between the warmth he gave off, that addicting cinnamon and smoke scent, and the strong arms that cradled her gently, she was slowly dropping her guard. She kept mental reminding herself just how dangerous this person was, yet for some reason, she felt perfectly safe within his arms. As if he would protect her from anything that wished her harm,

"Kunoichi, we are here."

His voice vibrated through his chest, sending chills down her spin, it was the only warning she got. Her feet touched the ground gently, her head spinning slightly from suddenly being upright, she swayed dangerously when Itachi released her. Without thinking she reached out, grabbing firmly onto a strong arm to keep herself from falling,

"This her? Not much to look at, ya sure she can do the job?"

Sakura struggled not to flinch at the unknown male voice that came from her left. Schooling her expression she let go of the arm she was clutching, praying that it had been Itachi's. Reaching up, she rested her hand against the soft cloth that covered her eyes,

"May I, Uchiha-san?"

Like before, she could feel his eyes on her, studying her silently, but she didn't remove the black cloth. Her every instinct screamed for her to remove it, to assess the situation, yet she held still. She wouldn't remove it until given permission, she didn't want to be killed simply for assuming it was safe too, besides, she could survive without her eyes. Years of training had assured that,

"Hai."

With a soft smile, she tugged the fabric from her face, blinking a few times to allow her eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. Glancing around she saw Itachi with his back to a door, presumably the one they had entered through, across from them stood Kisame. She was mildly suprised to find the shark like missing nin leaning casually against a door frame, studying her with curiosity. It seemed the reports of his death had been false,

"Hoshigaki-san."

Sakura said in ways of greetings as she tucked her braid back into her thread bare cloak, before pulling her hood up again. She wasn't worried about them knowing her identity, she was just more comfortable with it up than down. She watched as the larger man cocked his head to the side to study her through black eyes,

"Ya know me, Kunoichi?"

Sakura allowed her small smile to widen slightly into a grin, of course she remembered him. She had met him on more than one occasion, just like she had Itachi. It seemed that he didn't remember her though, which didn't suprise her. She had always just been an obstacle in their way on their quest to capture Naruto. She wondered if Itachi remembered her, he was always more observant after all.

"Hai, we have met on multiple occasions when you were after the Kyuubi."

She watched calmly as the man's eyes narrowed, assumedly trying to place her, she wasn't really offended that he couldn't seem to do so. After all, who really payed attention to a weak kunoichi who normal sat back and got in the way, when you were fighting a demon? She had come a long way since then,

"Whats ya name girly?"

Sakura wondered what she should tell them, she hadn't used her real name in so long that she wasn't sure if she should use it now. Most people just called her whatever their imagination could supply, some so strange she had to struggle not to laugh at them. Sighing she decided to be honest,

"I do not use a name, I gave it up years ago. Call me what you wish."

Sakura blinked in shock and slight fear when an almost evil smirk stretched the mist-nin's face, showing off his pointed teeth. She suddenly wished she had meerly given the man a name, she had a sinking feeling that she wasn't going to like whatever this man called her,

"Alright, so why ya stop usein yer name? It retarded or somethin, Pinky?"

Sakura slumped with a slight groan, this is why she wore a cloak, people saw her hair, and always had to comment. Plus they were all so unimaginative, people had called her pinky since she could remember, she really thought that this man would come up with something diffrent. Sighing she was about to tell the missing nin that she liked not being known when Itachi interrupted,

"Kisame, you may ask questions after she sees to her patient."

Kisame blinked sheepishly at Itachi, and Sakura couldn't help but laugh softly, earning her the attention of both men. How had the shark shinobi forgotten about Itachi, he was like a roaring fire, he could be ignored, but never forgotten, he was just too noticable. Finally turning from the shark, who was once again grinning down at her, she looked up into those dangerous crimson eyes,

"Where is my patient, Uchiha-san?"

Sakura ignored the blue man's scoff at her addressing Itachi as Uchiha-san, she was as familiar with him as Kisame, so she would remain polite. Again they stood in silence, just studying each other, before Itachi nodded once, his eyes fading to their darker form, before he slid past her and toward the door that Kisame stood in. Without a word, she followed, nodding politely to Kisame as she too slipped past him, hearing his chuckle behind her,

"Damn strange woman...I need a drink..."

Was the last thing she heard from him, as she followed Itachi down a door lined hall. She could see no windows, and judging by the damp coolness of the air, she guessed they were twenty or thirty feet below the ground. It didn't really suprise her, how else do you hid a base in a land of flat open grass land? Glancing up from the floor, Sakura stopped suddenly, barely avoiding crashing into Itachi's broad back,

"I warn you, Kunoichi, that he is weak, but still strong enough to kill you."

Sakura stared up at him quietly, of course whoever was behind that door could kill her. If Itachi wanted him well, that meant he was trying to save him so he could have his help in whatever plan he had going. Itachi didn't strike her as the type to save a life for any other reason than he needed that person, and 'needed' probably wasn't the right word either,

"Of course, Uchiha-san."

The dark haired man nodded once, before pushing the door open to reveal a dimly lit bedroom. Their was little furniture in the room, meerly a dresser, bed, and night stand, it was worn with age, but clean, which suprised her. She had a hard time imagining any of the ex-Akatsuki members dusting.

Someone shifted slightly on the bed, drawing her eyes to the lump that seemed to be huddled under the thick blankets. Feeling the calmness soak through her that came with any healing she preformed, Sakura silently approached the bed. She didn't even glance to Itachi as she focused completely on the still form that was infront of her. All she could see was dirty white gray hair peeking out from beneath the covers,

"Sir, I must examine you, if I am to heal you of any damage."

Sakura neither flinched nor made a sound, when the figure on the bed moved. Twisting around to lash out quickly, pale bony hand latching painfully onto her wrist, fever bright violet eyes staring up at her threatening. She had been expecting such a move, this man was a wounded shinobi, of course he would react in defense to the sound and presence of a strange shinobi. Sakura allowed herself a gentle smile that the man couldn't see through her mask as she spoke,

"I am a medic, I am simply here to help you. Nothing more, nothing less."

Sakura felt guilt clench her stomach as she stared down into the sunken purple eyes, this man maybe little more than a shell of what he was, but she knew who he was. Knew what he had done, and probably would do once again after he was healed. She would heal him, as was her way, but if he threatened her village, she would kill him, or die trying.

"Who...?"

His voice was weak and cracked, as if he hadn't spoken in a long time, yet his grip was firm and painful. There was little doubt that he would attempt to kill her if he deemed her a threat to his person, but she doubted he would succeed as he was. Five years ago, yes he could have killed her easily, but now she wasn't so sure, but she wouldn't get cocky.

Smiling gently down at the man, Sakura slowly raised her free hand to her hood, exaggerating her movements slightly, so the feverish man did not think she would attack him, as she pushed her hood from her for the second time that day.

"I am Sakura, and I am a medic, allow me to heal you. You are severely malnourished. I will push just a small amount of chakra into your system to give your body some energy, and to heal any internal damage. I will also be giving Uchiha-san directions on what you are to do to get you back to full strength. I mean you no harm."

Sakura couldn't stop the small frown that creased her brows at the use of her name, she hadn't spoken it to anyone in four years. Since she had become the Watcher, even Tsunade-shishou called her by one of her other names. It was like Haruno Sakura had died and been forgotten, yet it felt good to use it after all this time.

The man, Hidan, looked over her shoulder, his purple eyes searching the dark before he stilled, a question in his eyes. She knew he was looking at Itachi, asking if she could be trusted, and apparently she could, because his grip loosened slowly, before his hand fell away. His eyes once again looking at her, a mixture of a threat and a question in his eyes. Sakura smiled slightly down at him, trying to reassure the man she wouldn't cause him any pain.

Slowly she reached down and gently took his cold clamy hand in her own, waiting for his initial reaction to subside, not at all suprised that he had tensed by the touch. Without letting go of her gentle hold on him she studied him, taking in how thin he was, all skin and bones, except his throat. She could clearly see that his Thyroid was swollen from lack of nutrition,

"I am going to ask you some yes or no questions, please squeeze my hand for yes, tap your fingers for no, okay?"

She fought the urge when the pale man's brows furrowed in a frown as he tried to glare up at her, he was clearly disorientated, his glare was more to the left than she was. She knew he wasn't glaring at Itachi, she could feel his presence more to the right of her, over by the door,

"First question, Hidan-san, have you had any muscle spasms, doesn't matter if they are little twitches or large ones."

Sakura felt sorrow for the condition of the person before her, how the great had fallen. Yes, he deserved the pain he was suffering, especially after what he put Shikamaru, Choji and Ino through. It was just, starvation was such a horrible way to go, and being who he was, she wasn't really suprised he was still alive. It would have taken years for his body to finally give up the fight, and than he would probably be more in coma than dead. Finally she felt his hand flex around her's, suprising her that he was actually being gentle and not trying to crush her hand,

"Alright, I can see your lips are cracked, is the inside of your mouth dry and cracked as well?"

Sakura watched as his frown lessened and his cheeks puffed up slightly, he was clearly checking to see if it was or not. She wasn't suprised he didn't know, with all the pain he must be suffering, a dry mouth wasn't a big deal. She smiled slightly when his fingers drummed once against the back of her hand,

"Last question before I check your reflexes, and this is the important one. I'm sure you have been given food and water in the last few days, have you been able to keep any of it down?"

Hidan seemed to struggle for a second, a scowl making its way onto his face before he squeezed her hand, she was beginning to smile, until he stopped squeezing to drum his fingers against her hand. It seemed that he had been able to keep either the food or the water down, but not the other. The man looked extremely frustrated, and about ready to try and talk, when Itachi finally cut in,

"Water only, any food he is given he expels soon after ingesting."

Sakura glanced up at the silent man, studying him as he stood there silently, half in half out of the shadows. Sharingan once again in his eyes as he looked back at her with no emotions visible. Nodding once she turned back to the man on the bed.

"I have to check your reflexes, it wont hurt, you have my word. Than we'll start the healing process. Uchiha-san, he will need to eat fruits, grains, vegetables, some fish, but not alot. He will also need thirty minutes of physical activity four times a week. Start out small, sitting up, walking, just take things slow or he may break something. He has lost a bit of bone density so it wont take much. If you were anyone but yourself, Hidan-san, I would say it'll take you a year to be up to par, but you can do it in six months as long as you take things one step at a time."

Without another work, Sakura got to work checking the bedridden man's reflexes. It wouldn't take her nearly as much energy as she thought it would to heal him. Most of it would only be cured with time. Time for her to escape saftly back to her home, time to formulate a plan of defense should they attack Konoha. Sakura was pulled from her thoughts when she felt a hand squeeze her's, glancing down into those strange violet eyes she couldn't help but smile at the whisper that escaped his cracked lips,

"Thanks, bitch."

He may have insulted her, but she could tell he was sincere in his thanks. Glancing over her shoulder once more to look at the man behind her, who stared at her from beneath his half lidded eyes, she felt her smile widen before she turned back to work. Perhaps they wouldn't try to kill her, perhaps they had more honor and morals than she had given them credit for.

* * *

**There you go. HIDAN. I know I might have lost a few readers for bringing him back, and I'm sorry. But I like Hidan, he's so crude and angry, yet loveable. He's like an insane person dopped out on sugar. Foul mouthed? Yes. Lovable? Yes.**

**So please review, tell me what you think. Next chapter comes the convo we have all be waiting for. And the unvailing of the fourth memeber of Itachi's group, anyone have suggestions?**

**Thanks a million**


	5. Loyalty must be earned

**Disclaimer: See chapter one.**

**Okay, raise your hand if you feel just alittle pity for Hidan. I mean he was blown up and stuffed in a hole to die. Yeah, Itachi just dug him out and put him back together, but he's still half dead from starvation.**

**Okay, chapter five is now up, please enjoy.**

* * *

Sakura sank back onto her knees with a sigh as she studied the sleep male infront of her on the bed. It had taken nearly two hours to get his organs started again, they had all shrunk and stopped functioning due to lack of food. If he was anyone else, he would be dead already, it was only through his strange religion that he remained alive. If they hadn't brought her when they did, than he would have died anyway.

Turning her head to look up at the man who had stood silently for the last two hours, watching her work she allowed herself a small smile. She wasn't sure if he had stayed to protect her from Hidan, or Hidan from her, but either way, she was grateful. His presence calmed her, pushing the insanity that gripped her back into the corners of her mind,

"He is resting, but he will need some food soon, something light, fruit perhaps?"

Those haunting red eyes looked her over calmly, making her itch to pull her hood back over herself, to hide herself from those searching eyes, before he shifted to look at the man on the bed. Hidan was still nothing more than sunken skin and sharp bones, but there was nothing she could do about that. Only time and a well-balanced diet could fix that,

"Will he be able to be moved?"

Sakura frowned slightly, as she glanced back at the slumbering man, he had fallen asleep about an hour after she had started working on him. He needed rest to recharge his energy, but he also needed food and plenty of water. She had a feeling she would be asking to stay, for at least a month, just to keep an eye on him. He was her patient after all,

"Yes, though he is still very weak, he will require help, no matter if he wants it or not."

Itachi nodded once, before striding forward to stand beside her, looking down first at her, still kneeling beside the bed, than at the man who was sleeping peacefully beside her. It was than that she realized that Hidan still held her hand, not once had he let go. As if afraid that should he release her, that she would disappear, and he would be back in the hole.

"Hidan."

Though he spoke quietly, it had the desired effect, violet eyes snapped open, and his free hand reached for a weapon he didn't have, all before he saw who stood over him. Upon seeing the familiar red eyes, Hidan relaxed slightly, eyes furrowing in a frown as he glared up at the Uchiha. It was Sakura who spoke, her voice calming and warm,

"Hidan-san, you need to eat something. I am assuming that Uchiha-san would like you to come to the table to eat."

She wasn't sure if they ate in a kitchen or a diningroom, so she said table just to be safe, unless of course they didn't eat at a table, but she was pretty sure it didn't matter. She was mildly suprised when she felt his hand flex around her's, squeezing gently, she wondered if he even realized he was doing it.

Probably not, Hidan didn't seem like the gentle type, from what she had heard, and read in reports he was ruthless, cut-throat, vulgar, and crude, not gentle. It suprised her that they had managed to get so close to her home without her knowing, Hidan's hole had only been a thirty minute walk from her cave. Unless they had simply waited till she was on one of her self appointed missions to retreive him.

Slowly Sakura squeezed his hand, careful not to apply to much pressure, before she calmly pulled her hand from his. She was suprised when his violet eyes widened in almost panic, as she bolted up, completely ignoring Itachi, as he made a wild grab for her. Sakura didn't even have time to react before he was once again holding her hand tightly, eyes wide in a mixture of shock, embarrassment, and fear.

Sakura smiled softly when she realized what was wrong, shaking her head as she looked up into the sharingan. She watched as Itachi's muscles twitched, apparently trying to decide if he should pull them apart or not,

"Did you just recently pull him from the ground?"

Sakura's smile turned sad when Itachi nodded, and Hiden flinched slightly, before his eyes darkened, apparently his inability to control his actions was making him angry. She carefully leaned forward, catching those angry eyes with her own, she smiled gently at him as she patted his hand with her free hand, trying to reasure him, before she looked back up at Itachi,

"It's the lack of interaction, of physical contact, of contact at all. It is something human's crave, they needed it to survive, or they will slowly go mad, and cling to anyone who will give it to them."

Sakura frowned when she spoke, she could hear the faint 'trust me' in her own voice, and wondered if the others heard it. Yes, she knew what lack of contact did to the mind, the only people who had talked to her, were screaming threats, the only ones to touch her, trying to kill her. It had been five years, five long years since anyone had held her, had talked to her on anything close to a personal level.

Perhaps that was the attraction to Itachi, he had not only spoken to her in a civilized manner, he had held her in his arms, with no intent to harm her. She would have to be careful, and she would have to leave soon, or she would become attached to the man, and that would be dangerous,

"Come, Hidan-san, lets go get some food, neh? Will you lead the way, Uchiha-san?"

* * *

Itachi had seen the haunted look in the woman's green eyes as she explained Hidan's actions to him. Those eyes flashed with something he couldn't explain, a look that reminded him of the jinchuuriki when they fought. A feral look, more animal than human, and it made him wonder about her.

He had seen this woman interact with everything from children lost in the woods, to powerful shinobi who wanted to kill her, and he had never seen anyone touch her. She had been wounded yes, but it was always by a blade or a jutsu, never from a blow. That look in her eyes, that tone in her voice, it seemed she too was suffering from the lack of interaction.

"Hai, follow."

He commanded, leading the two from the room, watching as Hidan stood as far from the pinkette as he could, without letting go of her. He could see the emotions warring within the Jashinist's eyes. He wondered briefly how long it would take for this clingyness to wear off, before dismissing the thought, he didn't need to worry about that, just yet anyway.

He wondered if the woman's solitary life style was self inflicted, or if she had been cast from her village, much as he had. He assumed she had left on her own, he had seen her meet with Konoha nin a few times, giving them slips of paper before disappearing into the darkness. If she was a threat, they would have captured her by now, not let her do as she please. He would get answers, before he decided just what to do with her.

Itachi paused briefly infront of the door leading to the diningroom, he could hear Kisame and Diedara moving around inside. It didn't suprise him that they were there, it was dinner time after all. What suprised him was their willingness to help him kill Uchiha Madara. With an inaudable sigh, he pushed open the door and stepped inside, holding it open for Hidan and Sakura.

Itachi watched as the pinkette looked up briefly from Hidan, taking in the dinningroom and its occupants, before focusing on her patient once again. It amused and puzzled him that she had been so willing to help them, they were after all, missing-nin, and threats to her village. He had expected her to refuse, to attack them, to scream, cry and fight, not willing help them as she was.

"This is the medic you were talking about, Fishy, yeah?"

He watched as both Kisame and Sakura glanced at Diedara, the former with a glare at the nickname, the latter with a smile that he could just make out under her mask. He watched as she help Hiden into a chair without ever letting go of his hand, even as she snatched an orange from the bowl on the table,

"Hai, that's Pinky."

Sliding into an empty chair he watched as Sakura frowned at being called Pinky, and Diedara laughed. Itachi's eyes never wavered as he watched Sakura whisper something to Hidan, causing the silver haired man to glance first at her face, than at their locked hands. The man nodded once, before slowly pulling his hand from hers, hesitantly reaching up to touch her fore arm, freeing her hands to peel the orange,

"So what's your story kunoichi, yeah? How'd you end up with Itachi and Hidan, yeah?"

Itachi watched with mild curiousity as her hand twitched upward, toward her head, as if to once again pull up her hood. He wondered why she hid behind her mask and hood, was she doing it as a defense, to protect herself from people recongnizing her?

* * *

Sakura wanted to be suprised that Diedara was alive, but she just couldn't bring herself to be. If Kisame and Hidan could both have faked their own deaths, who was to say that the blond man couldn't as well? She gathered her thoughts, trying to ignore the fact that all eyes were on her as she peeled the orange for the clingy man beside her.

Should she be honest, give them the truth? Or should she lie and give them a fake one? Was there a point in lieing, what were the pro's and con's of the situation. If she was honest, they wouldn't think her a threat, she had a higher chance of leaving with her life, she had no village to report too. If she lied, they would possibly try to use her as leverage against Konoha, or simply kill her so she couldn't tell the Hokage that they were hiding in grass, sighing she said,

"I am a missing-nin. Uchiha-san needed assistance healing Hidan-san here."

Sakura had finished peeling the orange, so she set the peices on a small the plate and put it infront of Hidan, who stared at it in anger. He glared first at the offending fruit, before glaring up at her, finally pulling his eyes from her's he stared at the fish on the table that the other's were helping themselves too,

"Hidan-san, you need to eat the orange, you need the vitamins from it. If you can keep it down, you can try a peice of fish."

Everyone seemed to freeze as Hidan's glare intensified, speaking of the violence he would love to do to the woman beside him. Yet his hand neither moved nor twitched from where it rested gently against her arm, even as he mouthed a sharp, 'Fuck you, Bitch!' At the pink haired young woman.

All three men blinked in shock as an almost evil grin caused the fabric of the woman's mask to stretch, and her eyes to light with a savage glee as she stared down at the skinny man. This almost sinister looking woman, just didn't fit the soft spoken polite woman who had been standing there moments before,

"No thank-you Hidan-san, your just not up on my level. Now eat the goddamn fruit before I make you. I did not just spend the last two hours healing you so you can be stupid."

Diedara blinked in shock, this woman was insane, she had to be, that or bi-polar. Not to mention she just made Hidan turn as red tomato, which was something he had never seen before. Normally the psycho priest was all sauve and snappy, yet there he sat, red in the face, still clutching the woman's arm. What was that about anyway, he had never known the man to be touchy-feely with anyone, yet there he was, clinging to the woman. Finally he couldn't help it, he had to laugh, drawing all eye's to him,

"Damn, yeah. Never thought I would see the day someone threatened to force food down his throat, most people would just let him starve, yeah."

Sakura stared at the blond man who was wiping at the tears that had gathered in his eyes. She had completely forgotten about the other's in the room, while trying to get Hidan to eat the stupid orange, how foolish of her. Glancing down she watched said silver haired man scrunch up his face in disgust as he took a bite of the orange,

"Kunoichi, what is your place within Konoha?"

Sakura's head snapped up, eyes cold and dead as she stared at the Uchiha, she knew that question was coming, she just hoped that it wouldn't. She wasn't stupid, she knew he had to have been watching her for awhile now. He wouldn't have asked her to heal Hidan if he didn't know at least alittle about her. She decided to answer as best she could,

"That, Uchiha-san, depends on if you are asking me of the present, or me of the past."

Kisame snorted at the reply, great just what they needed, another Itachi, with all the riddles and half assed answers. He took a swig of his sake, feeling Hidan's eyes burning holes into him, causing him to throw the unusually silent man a smirk. He knew the man wanted his sake, but he couldn't have any, he knew that the little medic would take it from him if he even tried,

"Both."

Hidan let loose a painful, yet silent snort at the Uchiha-bastard, man was he pissed. He didn't want the stupid fucking orange, he wanted the Jashin-damned fish, but no, the stupid bitch wouldn't let him till he ate the orange. And he could see both Kisame and Diedara staring at him, mocking his inability to not touch the woman. And he could not, not touch the woman, she kept him calm and anchored, her warmth reminding him that he was not in the _Fucking hole!_ Jashin damnit all, why was he being so fucking weak, he couldn't even fucking talk! He needed to do a ritual, but he couldn't walk thirty feet without his legs shaking like a newborn foals! _Fuck!_

"I am a missing-nin of Konoha, but not by choice. I was to be married to a civilian, I refused, and left. The people of the village knew me once as Haruno Sakura. Now I am simply whatever their imaginations can come up with. The Black Knight, the Night Angel, Ghost, and the Watcher being just a few."

Sakura watched both Diedara and Kisame's eyes widen almost comically as she gave her name's, it seemed they had heard a few of them before. Hidan threw a look that was equal parts curiosity, and anger up at her, before taking another bite of orange, face contorting at the taste. Itachi's was the only expression she couldn't make out, it was completely blank, giving nothing away,

"Well damn, trust Itachi to bring in the boogey-man...er woman...yeah."

Diedara said with a soft laugh, earning a wide grin from the shark man, and confused looks from both Hidan and Sakura. He hadn't expected Hidan to know who she was, after all, he had spent the last several years in a hole, probably eating nothing put worms and moles, but the woman. He expected her to at least know that pretty much everybody knew about the creature that guarded Konoha,

"Damn, your famous, or should I say infamous, yeah. Most people are terrified of you, and wont even go near Konohagakure, especially at night, yeah. They're afraid that the Night Angel will get them, yeah."

Itachi watched as the pink haired woman shrugged, obviously use to the stories, as she reached across the table to snatch a small piece of fish for Hidan, who had finally finished eating his orange. It amused him that someone so small and fragile looking could be so feared, but he had heard the old saying 'Big suprises come in small packages' enough to know looks could be deceiving,

"You were the Hokage's apprentice, why did she not stop you from leaving?"

Sakura looked over at Itachi, who like the other's were eating calmly. She herself, would love to enjoy the meal spread across the table, but she didn't dare. She had already removed her hood infront of these people, she wasn't sure she could bring herself to remove her mask as well. No one had seen her face since she left Konoha, it was safer that way, and all her instincts said to stay safe, so she didn't eat,

"To stay was to be married to a civilian who wanted nothing more than a broodmare, or which I am not. I could no more stop being a ninja than I could hold back the tide, and Tsunade-shishou knew this. She knew to survive I would need to leave the village, and now to go back is to die."

Diedara blinked in suprise, this woman was more like them than he thought. She had made her own path, refusing to be commanded to do something that she knew she wouldn't survive, and just from looking at her he knew she wouldn't have survived being married to a civilian. She was too strong, just the way she moved, the way she held herself, screamed fighter, she was what she was, and to try to change her would break her will to live. He had the feeling that if backed into a corner, this woman would fight to the death before giving in, just like the rest of them. He could see respect mirrored in ever face at the table, even Hidan who was greedily eating his fish,

"I'm sure she changed the law by now, yeah."

Sakura couldn't stop her grin as she glanced at Diedara, watching as he did a double take when he saw the expression on her face. Sakura found herself relaxing around these men, she felt she could be herself here, she didn't have to hide herself behind a cool mask of indiffrence. She felt free to be who she was and not what she needed to be, and it lifted a weight off her shoulders. She had spent too long hiding behind the mask of the watcher, it felt good to just be her, Sakura, one woman trying to save her village,

"Perhaps, yet that doesn't mean I can come home. I have done much good for the village in the name of the Watcher, but I did great evil in the name of Haruno Sakura. At least that's how everyone who liked Danzo think anyway."

Itachi froze, glass half way to his lips, as his eyes snapped to the madly grinning woman, who sat beside a confused Hidan. He could tell that the Jashinist wanted to ask questions, but was unable to do to vocal cords being smashed by his swollen glands. He didn't really care about him at the moment, his entire attention was focused on the petite woman, was she saying what he thought,

"What, you go and kill some fat politician or something, Pinky?"

Kisame couldn't help but ask the question, he thought the name 'Danzo' sounded vaguelly familiar, but he wasn't sure why, and he hated being confused. Though he had to admit, the grin he could stretching under that mask was alittle unnerving, and he had seen some crazy shit in his life. He wondered if the woman's face hurt from such a wide grin, he knew his would. He was shocked when the woman laughed, it was an almost evil sounding laugh, not a happy or amused sounding thing,

"Or something, Hoshigaki-san. Danzo wanted to power, he tried everything to become Hokage, going as far as attempting to assassinate Tsunade-shishou. He was also the one who ordered Uchiha Itachi to kill his entire clan. Isn't that right, Uchiha-san?"

Sakura watched as all the men at the table shifted to look at the Uchiha, but she remained still, never looking toward him. She really didn't want them to ask about how she had killed Danzo, she didn't want to relive that experiance. She had almost died when facing the frail looking man, if it wasn't for Tsunade showing up when she did, she most likely would have died.

"Why did you kill him as you and not as the Night Angel thingy, yeah?"

Hidan didn't know what to make of the bitch who sat silently beside him, as the other's asked their questions. Not thirty minutes ago she was nothing more than a polite, quiet spoken medic, now she was something else. She was still polite, which annoyed him to no end, if she called him Hidan-_san_ one more fucking time, he might just sacrifice her to Jashin, but she wasn't quiet spoken anymore. He could see a darkness lurking in her eyes, ready to devour them all, and he couldn't help but wonder if she could. Was this small woman strong enough to kill them all, fuck, he wouldn't put it past her to try.

"As long as I was the Night Angel, I could remain outside the village without being hunted, but if I killed an Elder, even one like Danzo, they would have to try and capture or kill me. It is their duty to protect their own, even from themselves, but if I killed him as Sakura, the missing-nin, than they chase her. Who was last seen near Iwa...some four almost five years ago."

Itachi couldn't help but feel respect for the woman, her plan was simple, and would easily fall apart should anyone see the 'Night Angel' without her mask and hood. Yet with the Hokage telling the village that Sakura had been sighted somewhere close to Iwa, they would focus there and not at the woman right under their noses. He was sure some had figured out that they were one in the same, yet they hadn't said or done anything, so he assumed that they approved of what she had done.

"Why remain loyal to a village that wants you dead, yeah?"

Sakura sat back, her smile softening into a gentle one again, as she studied Hidan with a critical eye, not flinching slightly at his glare. The man had eaten quite a bit for someone in his condition, and she could see the exhaustion in his eyes, he would need to rest soon. Gently pulling his hand from her arm, where he had yet to let go of her, despite the fact it had started shaking from fatigue, she cradled it in her own. She watched as first relief, than annoyance flashed through those eyes, it seemed that he hated that he craved contact, but she understood, she hated it and wanted it just as much as he did. Finally glancing up, she met Diedara's bright blue eyes, eyes that reminded her so much of Naruto, never wavering she answered him,

"Loyalty must be earned, and I am loyal to Konoha, to its people, the smart and the foolish. Those who have done right by me, and even those who have not. It was and will always be my home. I am the Watcher, and no harm shall befall the village hidden in the leaves, as long as I stand watch in the dark."

All four men stared at her, respect in their eyes, any of them could beat her in a fight, they could kill her, they could torture and probably even break her mind, but they would never destroy her spirit. She had a fire inside her, a will stronger than any metal known to man, and they respected her for that. She had chosen her path, and she would walk it, someone could cut her down, but they couldn't move her. Perhaps...perhaps she was what they would need to win their upcoming battle, not her strength as a fighter, but her strength of will as a loyal shinobi to the village hidden in the leaves.

* * *

**And...there you go. This chapter is alittle hectic, and kinda annoying cause all it is, is talk, but it needed to happen. The next chapter will be better, I promise.**

**Incase your wondering why Hidan can't talk, since it wasn't explained very well is this. They Thyroid Gland is in your throat, and its all but right on top of your voice box, so if it swells, which it does if your malnourished, it smashes your voice box. Making it either completely impossible, or extremely painful to speak. Don't worry, he'll be back to cussing out loud soon, and he'll stop being clingy, even though him being so at the moment pisses him off, lol. Plus he'll have some choice words once he isn't so weak and tired.**

**Anyway, if you didn't like this, or think I need to explain something diffrently, let me know and I'll try to cover it in a side convo later. I didn't go indepth with how Sakura killed Danzo, cause I'm not 100% sure how she would do it, so use your imagination please, or send me something.**

**Anyway, hope you didn't hate it, please review. This is it for today, I'm tired now.**

**Much love,**

**Thanks a million**


	6. Masking Beauty

**Disclaimer: See first chapter.**

**Thank-you everyone for your reviews, I love them, and always end up reading them repeatedly(normally over the phone long distance to my husband who is serving over seas.) Much to his annoyance and pleasure.**

**Anyway, Cebellina, I'm gonna put some thought into what you said, and try to work in something similar in a diffrent chapter. I think I have an idea that may work.**

**If any of you think that the men are wrong with their 'Any of them could kill her' thought pattern, remember no one has seen Sakura fight and survived to tell about it in almost five years. She'll show them. Anyway, enjoy.**

* * *

Sasuke struggled to restrain his angry blond friend, not that he blamed him for being angry of course, he himself was pretty angry at the pudgy little man. This man, who dared come up to greet them, was Sakura's father. Was he really so foolish as to think they wouldn't find out that he had chanced their friend from home, or did he think they wouldn't care,

"Haruno-san, I recommend you leave before I decide to just let Naruto go."

The short man stared at them, his face red, either from the slight chill in the air or anger, Sasuke didn't know, and really didn't care. This was only the second or third time he had seen Sakura's father, and found nothing of the missing girl in the man. The only trait they had in commen were green eyes, but Sakura's had been brighter, happier, than this man infront of them,

"Are you going to bring my daughter home, Uchiha-san? She needs to come home."

Sasuke cursed to himself silently when Naruto suddenly went limp in his grasp, this was not a good sign. Something was telling him, that Naruto was about to do something stupid and rash, and it was confirmed when his friend's head snapped up and he snarled angrily, voice layered with the Kyuubi's power,

"You want her home you bastard! You who would sell your own daughter to something you knew she would hate! You who chased your only child from the village with arrogance!"

Kyuubi couldn't help but roll around his cage laughing at his container, the boy had grown and changed, yes. But he was the same useless Gaki that he had always been, he didn't care what happened to him, only to his friends. As he so blatantly desplayed now in the angry defense of a woman who wasn't even here, a woman who would probably never be here again. The rat amused him to no end, always defending people who had made their own choices in life,

"How dare you, insolent brat! It is her duty as the heir to the Haruno clan to marry a respectable man, and provide future heirs! What would a monster like you know, you who have no parents!"

Sasuke froze, head snapping down to stare at Naruto who seemed to completely collapse. How dare this stupid man, he treats not only Sakura like trash, but now Naruto as well? Sasuke understood at that very moment exactly why most ninja hated civilians. Slowly pulling his eyes away from the sagging blond, Sasuke glared at the man across from them, sharingan spinning wildly in anger,

"I suggest you leave now, you are a fool who does not understand his own mortality."

Sakura's father flinched at the sight of those angry red eyes, glaring at him, promising a painful experiance, if he didn't leave now why he was ahead. The man took a deep breath, ready to tell this child exactly what he thought of his threats and rudeness, when Kakashi appeared in a swirl of thick gray smoke. The copy-nin quickly took in the scene before his eye creased in a cheerful smile, as he calmly said,

"Haruno-san, what an unpleasant suprise, it seems once again you have bitten off more than you can chew. I thought you would have learned after the last time, oh well, I suggest you run along now."

Sasuke blinked, eyes returning back to his normal black orbs as he stared up at his old teacher. Shifting his grip on his friend so as not to drop the limp young man, he studied the masked man before him. At first glance Hatake Kakashi looked the same as he had when Sasuke left, but upon looking closer Sasuke could see the lines that were etched between the man's brows. The lines that spread from the corner of his eye in a distinct crow foot, and the dark rings under the man's eyes. Over all, his ex-sensei looked like crap,

"Kakashi-sensei?"

Naruto shifted slightly when he heard Sasuke say his sensei's name, but he didn't look up. He continued to stare at the ground with a red tinted glare, how dare that man bring up his lack of parents. Like he had made them disappear, made them die, apparently Haruno-san didn't know who his parents were. If he did, Naruto doubted he would have said what he did, but what really caused the blond's current struggle for control was the man's little speech on duty.

For the first time in years, the Kyuubi and him had the same thought, overlaying each other perfectly, where Naruto couldn't tell where his thoughts began and they Kyuubi's ended. Both wanted to destroy the little man who now scurried away from them. Naruto wanted to kill him for how he had treated Sakura, no one, not even her father, had the right to treat her that way, and it broke his heart that he hadn't been here to protect her. And now she was gone.

The Kyuubi's desire to destroy the man was more out of annoyance than anything, that little man dare assume he could challange him? He could kill that pathetic human with a flick of his claws, and he had stood there and spoke as if he was in power. The fox could kill anyone in this village if he was free, no one would be able to kill him, seal him again, maybe, but kill him? No, and they all knew it. Yet that arrogant little civilian was too stupid to care, hmph, let his container catch him alone for just a second and he would be dead,

"How bout some ramen? Teuchi-san has been expecting you after all."

Kakashi watched as Naruto slowly lifted his head to look at him, his eyes flashing purple for several moments, saying just how close the fox was to the surface, before finally fading back to blue as the boy blinked. He had watched the exchange, and only interfered when he realized that the stupid civilian wasn't going to walk away, he really didn't need the newly returned Sasuke up on murder charges.

Kakashi didn't blame either of the boys for their show of anger, every shinobi in the village, and over half the civilians would no longer have anything to do with the Haruno-clan. The Kumo-clan had finally had enough of the treatment and had left, moving their silk trade to Suna, where last he heard, they were also being treated harshly. Anyone who had met Sakura, was angry at what her father had done, but it was legal and his right, so there was nothing that any of them could do about it.

Sasuke gently released his friend when he finally started to support his own weight, the dark teen was careful to keep a hand rested on his shoulder. Just incase the possessed boy decided that he did indeed want to kill Sakura's father. He wasn't sure even Tsunade could save them if they killed the foolish man.

* * *

Sakura sighed in defeat as she watched Hidan sleep, she had finally given up, after spending the last twenty minutes trying to free her hand. It seemed the man wasn't going to let go, no matter how much either of them wanted him too. Finally glancing over her shoulder at her silent shadow she gave a soft defeated grin,

"Guess I'm going to have to remain here for the time being, Uchiha-san."

She didn't want to remain where she was, she hadn't eaten since they left her cave last night, nor had she slept since yesterday. She knew her limits, she could go three days before she would finally have to eat something, and five days without sleep before she would pass out. She just hoped it didn't come to that, she was pretty sure she wouldn't be able to eat or sleep in these men's presences.

She relaxed around them, she felt comfortable enough to just be herself, but she wasn't naive. She knew that these men where wolves, allowing her among them to help, but they weren't tame, they would wrip her apart if she dropped her guard. She understood them on a level that she hadn't ever understood anyone, part of her was just as wild and untamed as they were she guessed.

"Eat, Kunoichi.'

Sakura blinked in suprise when Itachi placed a plate with cooked fish and rice infront of her one the night stand. She almost groaned when the delicious smell hit her nostrals, her stomach gave a greedy growl when she stared at the food. She wanted it, but she wouldn't be able to eat it, not while Itachi was in the room,

"Thank-you, Uchiha-san, but I am fine."

Itachi watched with amusement as the woman turned down the offer of food, yet refused to look away from the plate. It seemed that her mask was indeed a defense of some kind, but was it a mental or physical defense? Sighing softly he sank into the straightbacked wooden chair that he had brought into the room earlier, he just stared at the woman,

"I have seen your face, Kunoichi, eat."

Sakura briefly toyed with throwing one of the heavy metal chopsticks at the man, but decided that would only escalate into a full fight, one she didn't want to have if it could be avoided. She settled from pulling her eyes from the food, to once again stare down at Hidan, suprised with how young he looked when his face was relaxed in sleep. She felt sorrow consume her once again, she knew how he felt, alone, abandoned, tired and hungry, her first year had been like that.

"My face hasn't been viewed in over four years Uchiha-san, not even by myself."

Itachi watched as she lifted the plate to rest on her folded knees, slowly she turned to fully face Hidan, her back to him, as she finally reached up to pull her mask down. He now knew that the mask was a defense of some sort, she was hiding her face to protect herself, but why, and from what? Did it serve some other purpose as well, did it cover some scar or mark she didn't wish people to see? More questions than answered, he didn't like that,

"Why do you cover your face, Kunoichi."

Sakura slowly chewed on a piece of the fish, vagually wondering who had cooked it, and wondering if they would give her the recipe as she thought over Itachi's question. There were many reason's she wore the mask, some easier to explain than others. She knew that Itachi understood one reason, to hide her identity from Konoha, so he was asking about the other reasons,

"People fear what they cannot see, Uchiha-san. I hide my face so people do not see me, for if they see a simple woman, they will think 'weak' and I have fought hard to not be weak anymore. A woman who hide's their face is diffrent, strange, mysterious, and feared, not someone to be taken lightly."

Itachi stared at the pinkette's back in suprise, he had not expected her to have such an insightful reason. Most of the women he had met throughout his life were either kunoichi who payed little to no attention to the thoughts of others, and civilians, who layered on pounds of make-up to look 'presentable' to other people.

He had to agree with Sakura though, even hardened kunoichi were seen as weaker than their male counterparts. Even if she had fought and proven herself powerful, the men around would instinctually try to protect her, or avoid fighting her. By hiding her face behind a mask, Sakura made herself more than a simple kunoichi. Though the gentle curves could be seen beneath her cloak and shirt, and her voice was female, without a face to look at, the natural reaction of underestimation wouldn't happen,

"Iie, Sakura you are strong enough to survive alone, you have abandoned your weakness."

Sakura snapped her head up and jerked around to face Itachi, completely forgetting to cover her face at the presence of the complement. Though the moment she was facing him, she knew that she had been manipulated by the slight smirk on the man's face, as his sharingan studied her. Instead of hiding, she lifted her chin in annoyance, staring at her with defiance clear in her green eyes.

"Thank-you, Uchiha-san."

Itachi was suprised by the woman's beauty, he had not been expecting her to look as she did. She sat there, the moon hanging heavily outside the window, casting it's light on the pinkette, causing her to have a pale unearthly glow to her skin. She had grown from the round faced little girl, into a creature, who even if maskless, made Itachi wonder if she was fully human.

Her cheeks were smooth and soft, cheek bone's just showing, giving her a refined and elegant look. Her nose was small and straight, making him wonder if she was lucky enough to have never had it broken, but than again, she was a medic nin. Her lips full and a natural pink, that gave her a classical beauty that Itachi knew other women would envy.

It was her eyes that captivated him though, the caught and held the moonlight, giving them a deeper color. It was almost like someone had liquified emeralds, just for her, so deep and bright, they seemed to stare right through a person, seeing their soul. He could see the shift of emotions play through those wide eyes, and it caused him to smirk slightly,

"You need not be so formal, Sakura."

Sakura wondered if Itachi would find a way to use this against her, him seeing her face. She could think of many way's he could, just tell people that the Watcher was actually her and everything would be over. Yes, he had already known that who she was, but it was diffrent now that he had seen her face, the first person in fact to see it in so very long,

"I will try to remember that, Uch...Itachi..."

Itachi could see the woman struggling with the fact that he had seen her face, she probably thought he would use it as blackmail. If he was any other man, he may have, he wasn't above blackmail, he just used it as a last resort. Plus something told him, trying to blackmail this woman before him was dangerous, for sanity and life,

"Rest, Sakura, there are blankets in the dresser."

Sakura watched as Itachi stood graceful as a panther, and left her alone in the room with Hidan. Glaring at the now closed door, she jerked both her mask and her hood up, welcoming the familiar feel of the fabric. Did he truely believe she would be able to sleep in a room with another person?

Sighing, Sakura twisted around till she could rest her back against the head board of the bed, her arm across her stomach, hand still clutched by the sleeping man. She couldn't sleep, it was too dangerous, she was in a safehouse with ex-Akatsuki after all, but she could meditate.

Closing her eyes, she began the familiar pattern of breathing for her meditation, she could rest her mind at least. Sakura never noticed herself slipping from meditation to sleep, nor the smirk on the face of the man who rested beside her.

Careful not to wake her, Hidan shifted the woman to lay on the bed, wondering briefly why he was doing such a thing. Shaking his head, he wrote it off as a good way to fuck with her, revenge for being unable to bring himself to stop clinging to her. He couldn't wait till she woke up, he wondered if she would scream. Pulling the blanket back up over himself, and over the now slumbering kunoichi, he allowed sleep to claim him as thought over the conversation she had had with the Uchiha-bastard.

* * *

**And there it is, another chapter. It's late, almost early, lol, so i think I'm gonna go to bed, especially if I want to get up and go to the gym in the morning.**

**Anyway, hope you all enjoyed. Please review with thoughts, critics, loves, or hates, i don't care, just review.**

**LOVE YOU PEOPLE! GOOD NIGHT!**

**Thanks a million**


	7. Waking up warm

**Disclaimer: See chapter one.**

**Okay people, things are about to get interesting in this chapter. So be ready. Hold on to your seat, we are about to watch poor little Sakura go alittle...hmmm...crazy...psycho maybe. **

**To all my reviewers, some of you I recognize of Shattered, and I just wanted to thank you all for reading my stories, you all are great. This chapter is dedicated to all of you, old and new alike.**Sakura shifted slightly closer to the warmth that rested against her back, for the first time she felt fully rested and at ease. Normally she slept light, always alert to the slightest sound that may echo into her cave, and she was unusually warm for it being early spring, but she didn't care.

* * *

Her pallet was soft and seemed to cradle her, the rock against her back was warm and comforting, and whatever was wrapped around her waist gave her a feeling of ease and safety, as if she needn't be on edge.

Sakura paused, her brain stumbling on the fact that walls didn't shift, and that rocks weren't squishy. Cautiously cracking her eyes open, she saw she was in a room, not her cave. Glancing down she tensed when she saw an arm carelessly thrown over her waist, holding her against a chest, a man's chest.

Instantly alert, Sakura jerked up and away, stumbling slightly when she went over the edge of the bed, before righting herself. She spun quickly to face the bed, her masked face contorting into an animalistic snarl, eyes flashing dangerously as she faced whoever had been on the bed with her.

"Mornin, Bitch."

A strained scratchy voice escaped the creature on the bed, the sound was weak from lack of use, and layered in pain, but her brain still labeled it as a threat. With an audible snarl, she decended on the man in the bed, no fear or recognition in her eyes, as she prepared to end the man's life. She never made it to the bed.

Arms like steel bands snatched her back, away from the frail looking man in the bed. Struggling and growling, the pink haired woman tried to break free of whatever was holding her. She would kill them all, for being too close to her, for touching her, they would die. The amused chuckle from the thing holding her, had her struggles increase,

"Sakura."

That name, they knew that name! How did they know it, how had they found out about it. They would die for not only knowing it, but for using it as well. Didn't they know that, that weak girl had died, she was no longer able to stand in the way. Throwing an elbow backwards, she felt it connect with the man behind her, loosing his hold enough for her to slip away,

"Die!"

Itachi had entered the room to wake Hidan and their guest for breakfast, just in time to see her leap at the bed. He had caught just a glimpse of darkness in those eyes, an uncontrollable madness, as she turned on that which she had fought to save. He had snatched her from the air, suprised when her attack turned more on him.

He was suprised when she elbowed him, though she had not put chakra into the blow, her elbow was pointed and boney, causing his grip to slacken and her to slip away. She spun to face him, her cloak flaring out around her, she looked deadly and vicious, at that moment he knew why everyone feared her so much. She moved with a deadly grace, every move fluid, she didn't seem human at the moment,

"Kunoichi, stop being foolish."

Sakura froze when she met the other man's eyes, they were red, with slowly spinning tomoe. Something in her cringed at having those eyes turned on her, yet another part of her rejoiced at the presence of another predator. Those eyes spoke of a creature that perhaps understood her, could handle the animal that she had become. Slowly, remaining tense for any movements the other person may make, she relaxed her hands from their defensive claws,

"Where am I?"

Itachi was suprised when the woman seemed to step out of her defensive stance, he had fully expected her to launch herself at him. Yet she just stared at him, green eyes dark, as she all but purred out her question, causing the hair on the back of his neck to lift slightly, and his stomach to clench. So this was the Night Angel, all viciousness and bloodshed, with just a hint of seduction, no wonder she killed all who stood before her,

"Akatsuki base. You have been here since yesterday."

Sakura blinked, slowly allowing her human thoughts to remerge from the back of her mind, she struggled briefly with herself, before she pushed the anger away. Her instincts had protected her well in the past, yet now she knew she didn't need them. If she was in danger, Itachi would have simply killed her when her back was turned, not restrained her. Blinking a few times to completely clear her vision, she met the red sharingan that studied her blankly, she nodded once in understanding, completely dropping from her tense fighting stance,

"I apologize, Itachi-san. I do not react well waking up in unfamiliar settings."

Hidan rubbed his throat gently as he struggled to sit up as he looked at the kunoichi's back. He had to admit, she was pretty fucking impressive, she had turned on Itachi without any fear in her stance or eyes. He was beginning to think that she was as crazy as the rest of them, none of them reacted so violently, but they didn't handle diffrent locations well either,

"I would say that's a fucking understatement."

Sakura sighed softly as she turned to Hidan, the too thin man was rubbing his throat with a wince. She knew he shouldn't really be trying to talk, it would be painful and damaging to his vocal cords, but she doubted he would care. He would probably throw something at her if she told him to shut up before he hurt himself.

"I apologize, Hidan-san, it was not my intention to alarm you. Now allow me to check your progress, perhaps I can allieviate some of the pain in your throat. Than we need to get some food in you."

Both Hidan and Itachi blinked at the woman, trying to figure out how she went from the snarling angry hellion, to the well mannered medic nin so quickly. Hidan determined that she must be bi-polar, it was the only explanation. Itachi knew better though, he knew her reaction for what it was, a defense mechanism, to protect herself, her rational brain would shut down and her instincts would kick into high gear. They would need to be watchful and careful around her, she may succeed in killing someone should that happen again.

* * *

Nara Shikamaru muttered under his breath as he worked his way through the thorny bushes that littered the Nara clan property. He would never admit it, but he was worried, worried about the person who everyone feared and respected. He knew she had taken up residence on his families land, he'll he had practically asked her too.

He wasn't stupid, lazy yes, but not stupid, he knew instantly who the Night Angel was the moment he had bumped into on one of his missions. She had been covered head to toe in black, no skin visible, and even her voice had changed, but the way she held herself, the very way she spoke. Though always using family name's there was an underlying familiarity in her voice.

He had never told anyone who she was, after she had killed Danzo, several people had been angry. He wouldn't give her up to the angry mob that was known as civilians, and even a few shinobi. No, Haruno Sakura was his friend, and what she was doing was good for the village, so her secret was safe with him.

He checked up would check up on her every once in awhile, even leaving scrolls, books, weapons, and the occasional bento for the woman. He had told her once, that the Nara land was full of caves, some people even from his family didn't know about. So she had moved in, living in the caves, constantly moving, never staying in one place long. He always left his gifts for her in the middle of the property, knowing she would find them.

He was worried though, she was suppose to be back from her mission yesterday, a mission that the Hokage had given her with. More like she had loudly proclaimed how much trouble the people in Kusagakure were being, before 'accidently' giving him the wrong scroll. Troublesome old woman knew he provided stuff for Sakura, and was now using him as a messanger.

Yet the pink haired woman wasn't back yet, the book on advanced medicinal herbs still sat on the rock were he had left it yesterday. It was like the book was mocking him, it bright red cover bright against the gray of the rock, like blood on the ground. Surely she wasn't dead, she had faced stronger people than the group of rogues she had went after.

"Where are you, you troublesome woman."

He knew it was normal for ninja to be late returning from missions, but never Sakura. Whatever had happened to her over the last years to change her, had made her stronger, faster, she was never late for anything. She was always right where she needed to be, emitting the cold hard waves of the Night Angel, wether other's wanted her around or not.

Hell, he had even heard that she showed herself to Naruto and Sasuke on their way back to the village, which didn't suprise him in the least. He knew, from the conversations they shared before her leaving the village, that she missed them, and wished only to see them, but he knew that it was foolish of her.

He wasn't sure about Naruto or Sasuke, but he was pretty sure Jiraiya knew that the Night Angel and Sakura were one in the same. The man may act the idiot, and he may be a big pervert, but he didn't get the title of sannin for nothing. He was dangerous, watchful, mind always three steps ahead of everyone elses, luckily he wouldn't do anything.

If Jiraiya would even say anything about Sakura being the Night Angel than the Hokage would beat him. She would probably give her old teammate a mission that would take him far from the village and women for the next five years.

What worried Shikamaru, was Naruto and Sasuke, what would happen if they found out that Sakura was hiding in plain sight. He didn't think Sasuke would run screaming about who she was, but he wasn't too sure about the blond. Naruto was still the same hyper idiot, though looking in his eyes, you could tell he was diffrent. You could see a keen intelligence in those eyes that hadn't been there before.

Looking at the book one more time, Shikamaru made up his mind, he needed to go talk to Tsunade. He wasn't sure what she could do, but they would need to come up with something. Though a missing-nin, the rooky-nin and most of the other's still loved her. She would always be a loyal memeber of Konoha, she proved that when she became their silent guardian.

While the village was safe inside their walls, and warm within their homes, she stood on the outside looking in. Silent, cold, and always alone, watching, protecting, she fought for Konoha. For what it was, for what it could be, and for what, one day, it would become. She was their protecter, the angel, as long as she was there they were safe.

* * *

**Little monologue there at the end, but it gives an insight into the mind of some of the ninja from the village. How much people love the night angel, and how the people who know who she is, love her even more.**

**The next chapter will be fun...it's alittle screwed up, but it'll be fun.**

**Hope you don't mind that I used Shikamaru for the focus of the this, but he seemed like the best choice. Someone who would notice who she was, and keep his mouth shut. He would help her because she was both a friend and a valued force.**

**Anyway, please review.**

**Thanks a million**


	8. The Challenge

**Disclaimer: See chapter one.**

**Wow...we are at chapter 8 already, this whole thing is coming along quite nicely I think.**

**Thank you all for your wonderful revies, please keep them up.**

* * *

Shikamaru leaned lazily against the wall, watching as the Hokage frowned, deep in thought, she seemed extremely agitated, which didn't suprise the man. He had just finished telling her that Sakura wasn't back from her appointed mission, like she was suppose to be, but what she said next suprised him,

"That's not possible though, she was her not two days ago, she greeted Jiraiya and the boys at the gate."

Tsunade couldn't understand what was going on, though technically not a part of Konoha, her former student alway told her when she was going on a mission, and when she would be back. Yet she had gotten nothing from her, which did not bode well with the blonde Hokage. Something was definintly wrong,

"Call in Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sai. Its time I tell them who the Night Angel is. You will be going on this mission as well, seeing as she trusts you. This is classified, tell no one, not even those four, just get them here for a briefing."

Shikamaru's ever present frown deepened as he stared blankly at the Hokage, wondering if it was wise to tell them about Sakura. He wasn't worried about Sai or Kakashi, he was pretty sure they had already figured it out. But Naruto, that hyperactive idiot would probably go after her, trying to convince her to come home. Sasuke he wasn't too sure about, he was a wild card, he could go either way. Whats more, their team wasn't balanced, the would need a sixth memeber, but who was best...

"We may need a healer, someone who can pull their weight in a fight, should one occur. So either Ino or Hinata, but do to the classified nature of this mission, I would say Hinata."

Tsunade watched Shikamaru with mild amusement, the man seemed to think of everything, puzzling over every possible outcome. She knew he was simply thinking out loud at the same time giving a suggestion. She had always thought he would make a great leader, if not for the fact he was so lazy, though she was beginning to think it was a front. A way to hide his sharp mind, to make people underestimate him,

"Very well, bring Hinata, anything else Nara?"

Shikamaru barely heard Tsunade, stratigies quickly unfolding in his mind, he had learned long ago to have plans ready. and to always have a plan B incase the first fell apart, which they tended too. Even the best laid plans only worked until the first move, than everything changed, but he wouldn't let the pinkette down,

"Iei Hokage-sama."

Tsunade smiled at his far away look, though she would never tell the man such, he never cease to amaze her with his genius planning skills. The rookie nine and team Gai really were the best to come out of the academy in a very long time. Sighing as she broke off the thought, she pulled a small piece of paper toward her, she had much to do, before they could leave,

"Tell everyone to be in my office in an hour, and make sure Kakashi isn't late. Tell him it involves Sakura, but only him. Understand?"

Shikamaru blinked to clear his eyes, as he studied the woman across the room from him. He had never really appreciated how smart the woman was, though she hid it well with bad gambles and booze. She knew that Kakashi would be late, but if it had to do with Sakura, he would surely be on time. They had all watched as the copy-nin declined slowly after she had left, he had two members of his team defect, and they knew he questioned his teaching methods. He had turned to drink, either trying to drown out the pain of what he believed as failer, or simply a slow way to commit suicide, no one knew,

"Hai."

With a wave of her hand, she dismissed Shikamaru, so she could focus on what to write on this scrap of paper. It wasn't going to be easy to tell the Kazekage wasn't going to take Sakura's disappearence well. He had sent her a heavily incripted letter years ago, telling Tsunade that Sakura had went to Suna. With the help of Gaara and his family, her lively pinkette had become stronger. It with the help of her friends in wind that the Night Angel had been born, Gaara had known what Sakura had become, but he had never said anything.

Now she was missing, no one knew why or where she was, and there wasn't much Tsunade could do to look for her. She was already breaking so many rules making up an imaginary mission to send her shinobi on. But she knew Gaara wouldn't take the pinkette's absence well either, he would send his own shinobi out to look as well.

Tsunade couldn't help but smile sadly, she had always admired how Naruto was just one of those people that drew people to him with his happy nature. He would smile and laugh, and be so damn determined that people couldn't help. She had never noticed that Sakura was the same, her will to love and protect those she saw as her allies, drew people to her. Most people who met Haruno Sakura couldn't help but love her, to want to protect her from the harshness of life. She had done that here in Konoha, were people had rioted after she left, and in Suna were she had been welcomed with open arms.

Gaara had been willing to allow Sakura to remain in his village, he would have protected her, made her a citizen of Suna. He had been willing to risk war with his allies, just to protect a friend in need, but Sakura being Sakura wouldn't allow that. She had remained with them for six months, no longer, just long enough to become stronger, but Tsunade knew, Sakura still visited his family whenever she was close.

She maybe the Night Angel of Konoha, always ready for an attack, always ready to protect, but she had earned another name. Tsunade wondered how many people knew that the Night Angel and the Okasan-kaze were one in the same. The blonde woman still found it amusing that the people of Suna called Sakura 'mother-wind'. Finally settling on a message, Tsunade wrote,

_"Sending six to you in search of a breeze._"

Standing to go find a messanger hawk, the only female Hokage in Konoha's history felt extremely pleased with herself. Most people would be confused by the message, but she knew Gaara would understand, she just hoped he didn't do anything drastic. They couldn't draw attention to the fact that they knew who the Watcher was.

* * *

Sakura carefully shifted her hood, careful to keep it up over her pink hair, as she slid into the seat beside Hidan, who had once again reclaimed her hand. They had seen her with her hood down the night before, and Itachi had seen her unmasked. Yet after her reaction this morning, she decided she need the barrier they provided.

He clothing served multiple purposes, they whole thing had been put together with the sand siblings help. Its main purpose was to keep her identity secret from any who saw her, and to strike fear in those she fought. Something about being unable to see your opponents face was unnerving. But the reason that no one knew of, is it was a cage, Sakura knew she was slowly falling into madness.

She assumed it was that she had spent too much time alone, always by herself, never with friends or family. She never spoke to anyone any more, ever her trips to Suna had begun to become impersonal meetings with the Kazekage, instead of relaxing times spent with Gaara and his family. The cloth served as a protection to herself, helping her to control the darkness eating at her soul, and the protect those around her. She felt unstable, out of control when it wasn't on, and it put her village at risk.

Slowly shifting Hidan's hand to her forearm, she began cutting up an apple, ignoring his angry glare, and mutterings about 'the bitch' and 'fruit'. She really didn't care what his feelings where on the matter, he was her patient, and she would be sure he gained weight and ate health food. She was drawn out of her thoughts, when Itachi spoke,

"Explain this morning, kunoichi."

Never looking up from the task of slicing the apple, even as she felt all four men looking at her. Let them look, let them judge, she didn't care anymore, she was so tired of the stares. It was her own fault people froze to stare at her, trying to puzzle her out. She had known that would happen when she became the Watcher, but it didn't mean it didn't bother her. People always staring at her with horror or fear, always judging,

"I apologize, Itachi-san, but there really is nothing to explain."

Sakura, finished cutting up the apple, placed the peices on a small plate, before setting the plate infront of the still glaring Hidan. Sighing softly, Sakura lifted her head to look at Itachi, wondering if he could see her eyes beneath the hood. She figured he could, seeing as he had the sharingan in his eyes as he studied her,

"Bullshit, Bitch. You were fuckin possessed or some shit."

Sakura blinked in mild amusement at Hidan's rusty voice, it would take awhile before he could carry on a full conversation. Though she had managed to lower the swelling, it was still there, and his cords were still rough for unuse. Blinking once more, never dropping her eyes from Itachi's sharingan, she allowed alittle of the darkness within her to escape, darkening her eyes, she all but purred,

"That wasn't possession, that was me, all control gone, all masks dropped."

She knew she was playing with fire, revealing such intimate knowledge to possible enemies, but she couldn't bring herself to care at the moment. She would fight to win if it came to that, though what winning implied had yet to be revealed. She watched as Itachi blinked once, slowly, before Diedara spoke up,

"So your crazy, yeah Pinky?"

Slowly she swiveled in her chair to face Diedara, her hood slipping slightly, allowing the bomb expert to get a glimpse of the glittering eyes hidden underneath. She saw the brief glimmer of shock, before he dropped a mask over his own face. It seemed the normally loud s-class criminal wasn't always full of wide smiles and fun like she had thought, but also calculating and violence. She had known that, they were after all the highest ranking nin out there,

"Madness is what makes the shinobi world function. All shinobi are alittle insane are they not? Would a completely sane human be able to face the odds we do? Would they be able to kill and be killed as we do? Who is to judge what is sane anyway?"

It seemed that she had managed to shock all four men into silence, they all stared at her, breakfast forgotten. Slowly she turned, making sure to meet and hold each of their eyes for several seconds, before finally ending with Itachi. His expression was unreadable, but he was staring at her as if she was a great question the world had posed, just for him to answer. She wondered just what answer he would come up with,

"Damn, Pinky fits right in, don't she?"

Shocked, Sakura turned once again, staring at Kisame, this was the first he had spoken in her presence this morning. Though judging by how much he had drank last night, and the fact that he had been squinting when they came in for breakfast, it was probably do to a hang over. Her hand's itched to ease his pain, but she stopped herself, to puzzle over his words. She fit it, he must be joking, she had never fit in, not even when she was a kunoichi of Konoha, not even when she had become a medic. She had always stood out, either because she was too weak, like when she was a genin, or because she was too good, like when she became head-medic at the hospital,

"You'll have to stay around a bit, eh Pinky, yeah."

Sakura bristled at this comment, she would not be told what to do, not anymore. She took order's from no one, she lived her life how she could to protect those precious to her. Not to mention they were probably trying to do something harmful to her village, and she wouldn't allow them too. No one would harm her village while she drew breath, Sakura ignored the small part of her that was whispering about who was watching the village now that she wasn't there. She was use to it, it was always the same, who was protecting her home while she was away taking out threats. The answer was always the same, Konoha was full of shinobi who would protect each other and the civilians in her absence,

"I'm afraid that wont be possible, Diedara-san. I have other things I must attend to, that will require me to leave. I shall remain another three days to insure that Hidan-san is on the road to recovery."

She felt the purple eyed man tense beside her, and she wondered if it was because she would if it was because he would essentially be alone again. She could see any of the other Akatsuki member's allowing him to hold their hands, though the thought cause her stifle a giggle. It wouldn't do for them to ask why she started laughing,

"Hey, Princess, how bout a spar before you go?"

Sakura for the second time turned to star at Kisame in shock, she wondered what had been in the sake he drank last night. Did someone drug him, because she was pretty sure that A. he had called her princess, which was a good way to be beaten to death, and B. he was a s-rank shinobi, and he had just asked her for a spar. Surely he could find a better matched opponent, she was sure Diedara, or maybe Itachi would spar with him. This time she couldn't stop her giggle, who was she to refuse an offer to go up against someone like him?

"When would you like to spar, Hoshigaki-san?"

Sakura watched as his face split into a wide grin, showing off his sharp, shark like teeth. She vagually wondered what she got herself into. She knew she would have to keep a tight leash on herself when they fought, wouldn't do to loose control and go all out. She had a feeling that if she didn't hold back, he wouldn't either, and she wasn't ready to die. Not yet anyway,

"Hmm, today. And one condition Princess, you stop calling me by my surname. Its Kisame, just Kisame."

Sakura cocked her head as she studied the man across from her, he hood hiding her eyes from his view. She wondered why they all wanted her, a complete stranger and possible threat, to call them so informally. She hadn't addressed anyone by an informal title in years, perhaps the change would be enjoyable,

"Very well...Kisame...are there any stakes to this spar, or is it just for measure?"

She had paused when she said his name, tasting the word on her tongue before allowing it to drop. She was suprised how good it actually felt to call someone by name, as if they were equal, even if they weren't. She was pretty sure she couldn't beat any of them without allowing the darkness out to play.

"Sure...I win, you stop wearing the mask and hood while your here, Princess."

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him, knowing he couldn't see it, she wondered what the other three were thinking as they watched this exchange. They probably found it amusing that he was calling her princess, but she would show him. A slow grin spread across her lips as she formulated her plan, she knew she wouldn't lose now, the stakes were too high,

"Very well, If I should win, you will not drink a drop of alcohol for two weeks."

Hidan choked on his rice, he had long since finished his apple and moved onto the plain stick grains of the rice. Diedara on the other hand started chuckling, which slowly turned into a full blown laugh. Kisame meerly stared at her for several moments with wide eyes, horror clearly written across his face, it seemed she had be right. He, like Tsunade, enjoyed his drink. She never turned to look at Itachi, afraid of what she may see on his face, disdain, amusement, mockery?

"Fine! Princess, prepare to loose your mask."

Sakura's grin widened under her mask, how arrogant of him, to assume he would win. Did he think he would beat her when it was in her best interest to win. She would have to fight all out, but she would be careful to not hurt him. She wanted to win, not kill. Standing she turned to face Hidan, who was once again looking exhausted,

"Let's get you to your room Hidan-san. You need rest. Don't glare at me, the sooner your able to eat without exhausting yourself the sooner you'll be ride of me."

Helping the still skinny man from his seat, she nodded to the men at the table before leading Hidan from the room, hand clamped firmly in his. She didn't notice the three sets of eyes that watched her as she exited the room. Her smile gentle and reassuring, never once falturing under the glare of the man beside her.

* * *

Diedara shook his head as after Sakura left. That Kunoichi was really something else, she was driven with a purpose, willing to go to the ends of the earth for ssaid purpose. But he had seen the anger, the hostility, loneliness, and sadness in her eyes last night. He wondered if she knew how expressive those eyes were, if thats why she wore the hood,

"I like her, she has spunk, yeah."

Kisame snorted at the blond's choice of words, to him 'spunk' didn't quite cover it, she was a typhoon of emotions, he could see that. Jumping from one to the next at such great speed it was hard to follow. Yet, she hadn't judged them as so many had, she knew who and what they were, what they were capable of, and she hadn't shied away. She really did fit in with them, she was a kindred spirit he thought, always judged by others based on her past. What suprised him, was he felt as at ease around her as he did around the other three men. Something he hadn't experianced in years,

"Che, she's a tough one, thats for sure. Think we can convince her to hang around?"

Itachi was mildly amused by the other two men, it seemed that in just one day she had gained their confidence. He knew it was dangerous, she could use it against them, but he had long since come to the understanding that everyone betrayed. He was use to betrayal, he had survived it before, and would do so again when the need arose, it made him stronger. He wondered if it was intentional on her part, to make them trust her, he didn't believe it was, she seemed harmless. But so did an exploding tag before it detinated, he would have to keep an eye on her.

* * *

**Woooo, done with chapter eight, now time to do some house work, blah! Anyway, next chapter will be fun, we'll have a spar, finally so action, and it will be fun and ugly all at once. Any requests let me know and I'll see what I can do.**

**A little romance may even find it's way into the next chapter, but who I wonder...hmmm...guess you'll have to wait and find out.**

**Review, the more reviews the quicker the updates.**

**Thanks a million**


	9. Respect

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One.**

**Okay, here's chapter 9, sorry it actually took me more longer than my norm to get it out. I am babysitting a friends dog, and have had only 4 hours of sleep in the last 48 hours, so it's been slow.**

**Please take into account my lack of sleep, and forgive any mistakes I may make. Though I will admit, by best work happens when I'm tired lol. Anyway, please enjoy.**

* * *

Suprisingly it hadn't taken Shikamaru long to find the other's, and now all six of them; Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, Sai, Hinata, and himself, stood before the fifth hokage's desk. They all stood, waiting anxiously for the blond woman to say something. Yet, she just sat there for at them all for several moments, her honey colored eyes taking them all in with an unusually solemn look.

"I have called you here to give you a mission that is of the utmost importance, for the safety of this village. It is at least a B-rank mission, at the most S-rank. Whatever is found or discussed about this mission will remain classified no matter what. If you can not handle this speak now, and you will be replaced, any questions?"

No one said anything, they all meerly stared at the woman, all but Shikamaru tense with what was to come. He was the only one who knew about what they were really doing, only Kakashi knew that Sakura was involved, and he didn't even know how. The poor copy-cat ninja was probably afraid he would be sent after his old student, which both Tsunade and Shikamaru knew he would refuse to do,

"Very well, I will take your silence as agreement to the rules. Shikamaru, has been helping the Night Angel for the last several years. Giving her books, scrolls, cloths, and other such nessessities. He has also been serving as an ambassador, so to speak, dropping off missions that we needed done but don't have ninja suitable for, and picking up any reports that she sends back. Recently she has gone missing, and I am sending you out to find her if you can, we need her."

Naruto frowned as he puzzled everything over, he was missing something, it wasn't adding up like it should. Yes, this Watcher or Night Angel or whatever might be a help to the village, and her disappearence might make things harder, but why go after her. Unless she had information that could be used against the village?

"Baa-chan, I don't get it, why chase after her?"

Sasuke frowned at the blond's question, he was pretty sure he knew the answer, but he wanted conformation. It didn't suprise him that the Kyuubi host hadn't thought that the Watcher and Sakura were one in the same. Naruto may have grown and matured in the last several years, but he was still a dobe,

"I didn't lie to you when I said that Sakura was last seen close to Iwa, but that was four and a half years ago, right before the Night Angel showed up."

Everyone seemed to freeze at those words, even Shikamaru who had known that they were one in the same froze. The tension in the air was so thick it was choking, and Tsunade could see Sai, Kakashi, and Hinata thinking back over every occasion they had run across the Night Angel, slowly putting the peices together,

"S-Sakura-c-chan was h-h-here the whole t-time?"

Kakashi allowed a bitter smile to tug at his face under his mask, sure no one was paying close enough attention to catch the movement of his mask around his lips. No wonder every time he had run into her, she had always seemed aloof and quiet, she knew if she wasn't careful he would figure out who she was.

He remembered a fever dream he had had almost a year and a half ago. He had been poisoned and had passed out only half a mile from the gates of the village. In his dream he had been in a cave with Sakura, and she had been trying to wake him, trying to convince him to drink water. Yet, later he had woken up in the hospital, they had found him, with his wounds bandaged, propped against the guard stand just inside the gate. Tsunade had told him he owed his life to the Night Angel, he chalked his dream up to wishful thinking,

"Why did you never tell me, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade turned her eyes to study the silver haired ninja and wasn't suprised by what she saw. His posture was as lazy and relaxed as always, but she could see the muscles in his arms flexing, belittling his calmness. His lone visible eye was dark, an anger she hadn't seen since he confronted Sakura's father five years ago. She vaguelly wondered if Sakura knew that her old teacher loved her as a father loves a child, it would have been easier in fact, had Sakura been born his child. Instead of that pompous idiots,

"To protect her. I haven't had any true contact with my student since she left Konoha, the last report I had was of her entering Iwa, so that's what I have told the council. It is not an out right lie, so if they find out, I can just shrug and say how was I to know."

Hinata watched nervously as the Hokage and Kakashi both held each other's gaze in a kinda of stare down. She could agree with both of their points of view though, she would have liked to know that her friend had been so close. But she understood that if people know that Sakura was so close it would put not only her, but the whole village in danger. Life had been easier since Sakura became their protecter, safer even. Finally Kakashi nodded his head once, conceding that their Hokage did right, with a slight tilt of her lips, Tsunade said,

"Your mission is to head to Earth Country, via Grass. The Kazekage is sending some suna-nin to meet you in Earth."

Sai gave a small real smile, it still amazed him how many people loved Sakura. Tsunade was more or less commiting treason by sending them after her. Gaara was willing to start a war just to make sure that the pink haired woman hadn't fallen into harm. Though he still had a hard time understanding emotions, he knew the determination burning in his veins for what it was. They would find Sakura, no matter what,

"Meet at the gate in one hour, if your late you'll answer to me."

Tsunade blinked in shock at the seriousness of Kakashi's words, watching as he snatched the scroll and disappeared with a puff of smoke, leaving the other's behind in her office. There was no doubt in her mind that he really would be at the gates on time for this mission, and that anyone late would really be in alot of trouble. For the first time in a very long time, she saw the Kakashi that use to be, the Anbu captain, the fourth's apprentice, and genius.

* * *

Sakura stood perfectly still, arms relaxed at her sides as she stared at the shark-like man before her. His stance was almost as relaxed as her's, Samehade resting across his shoulders, a broad grin stretched across his face, flashing his deadly looking teeth. After staring at him for a full minute Sakura tilted her head in their audience's direction, never breaking eye contact with Kisame,

"Are there any rules to this spar?"

Diedara couldn't stop grinning, even though his face was beginning to get sore, this whole stare down thing was just great. Mose people they had fought against had always had that undercurrent of fear, yet he couldn't sense any in the pink haired medic-nin. She had just stood there, calmly sizing Kisame up, before asking her question. He had to admit she was pretty impressive,

"Just don't kill each other, and don't destroy the base, yeah."

Hidan tried to look nonchalant as he sat leaning against a tree, and not in pain from having walked out here to watch the fight. He wasn't about the miss this fight, he wanted to see just how good the medic was. Sure, he knew she was decent, she was living as a missing nin, if she was weak she would be dead. But he had no idea _how_ good she was, was she their level, higher even, or maybe just alittle lower?

"Perhaps I should make it so you don't accidently flood the base than, Kisame."

Itachi watched with amusement and mild suprise when, with a nod from Kisame, the pink haired woman shifted. Her fist buried itself in the dirt at her feet with enough force to not only cause her hood to slip from her head, but for the ground to explode under her feet. If Kisame hadn't jumped at the last moment, he would probably have been buried under the rubble.

"Damn, Koneko, think you made a big enough crater?"

Kisame asked from where he had landed on the edge of the crater, he glanced down to meet amused green eyes. He had known that she had the ability to cause great damage with her chakra laden hits, but a hole that had to be twenty-five meter's across? He would have to be careful, a single hit from those deceptively small fists and he was a dead man.

"This way, if you decided to try and drowned me Kisame, you wont have to worry about flooding the base. Or accidently drenching the other's, I'm sure they wouldn't be very amused if you did."

Sakura kept her voice light and amused, not giving away how eager she was for this fight. Even if they both held back to stop them from hurting each other, they would both get a pretty good workout, that she didn't doubt. She watched as Kisame swung Samehada from his shoulder, letting it rest on the ground, as he grinned down at her. She tensed when he suddenly put his hands together in a familiar hand sign,

"Than I'll just put it to good use eh, Sakura-hime? SUITON, BAKUSUI SHOUHA!"

Sakura's eyes widened just a fraction before Kisame seemed to draw back, inhaling, she knew she had only moments to react, before the entire crater was underwater. Kisame leaned forward, spewing water from his mouth, watching with amusement as the wide eyed Kunoichi was swept into its crashing current.

"You'll have to do better than that, Fish-boy, especially if you want to see my face."

Itachi watched, as Sakura popped out of the ground right behind Kisame, who had yet to see that the Sakura in the water was nothing more than a clone. At her words though, the mist-nin spun sputtering in outrage at being called 'Fish-boy' only to catch a kick in the stomach.

Sakura was careful to use just enough chakra to send Kisame skidding backwards onto the surface of the small pool of water. She wanted to beat him in this fight, but not to kill him. Plus the more damage she did to him, the more she would have to heal later. Grinning wildly under her mask she dashed forward before he could even stop his slide.

Pulling her katana from inside her cloak, Sakura grinned, even as Kisame righted himself and jerked Samehada up to block the sword aimed for his kneck. Sakura's chakra strengthened hit met the strong senteint sword, and both weapons shivered from the impact,

"Lets dance, Fish-man."

Any delusion Kisame had about Sakura holding back so as not to really hurt him dissolved instantly. Sakura launched into a blistering attack so fast it should have been impossible.

Kisame staggered backward slightly, blocking some blows and jumping back to avoid others. He could see the almost insane grin under the woman's mask as she attacked him in a flurry. The medic-nin's attacks confused the shark nin, Sakura would follow a cut at Kisame's head with a kick at his knee than a spinning backhand with his free hand. The blow actually landed, sending the blue skinned man down into the water.

Diedara, Itachi, and Hidan all watched as Sakura's backhand sent Kisame into the water, yet she didn't pause. She quickly dropped into the water herself, sinking quickly after him. Though the battle on the surface had only lasted moments, it had still been impressive, the two sword master's clashing violently.

Sakura cursed when she caught up with Kisame under the water, just in time to see him finish the hand signs for his summon jutsu. She ignored him as he swam toward the surface again, focusing on the shark headed right toward her. Slowly she gather chakra into her hand, a single well placed hit and the shark would be destoyed.

Kisame broke the surface just as Sakura destoyed the shark, he couldn't help but grin, the little hell cat was something else. He was just straightening up when she suddenly appeared before him, he quickly brought his sword up to block the punch aimed as his face, but at the last moment she shifted and kicked him in the side. Kisame went skidding across the water with a grunt as a few ribs cracked, only to blink when she disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Sakura grinned from where she was crouched on the land, just out of the water, with a flick of her wrist a small fan slid into her hand, a gift from Tamari. She watched as Kisame attempted to straighten a grimace of pain clear on his face. Yet she didn't relent or hesitate as she brought the fan down in a quick movement, causing the wind to pick up, with another flick of her wrist a cyclone appeared before her, dancing in place upon the water.

Quickly flipping her fan back into its holster she began the handsigns that Kakashi had taught her years ago, before she had left Konoha. She watched as Kisame's eyes widen in shock as the sound of birds echoed across the water. Grinning at what she knew would be her victory she baried her chidori into the cyclone, and sent it toward her opponent.

Diedara watched in awe as the water tornado bore down on Kisame, he had never seen anything like it before. Somehow this woman had found a way to combined a lightning and a wind jutsu into something extremely deadly, especially now that there was water in the mix. He wondered if Kisame would be able to dodge in time, especially since he was slowed by his injury.

Kisame cursed as the column of electrified water bore down on him, if that thing touched him he was screwed. The closer it got the bigger it got as well, he would be unable to simply sidestep it, now that it was almost fourty feet wide, and he would be unable to jump over it. The only option he had was to dive, and he needed to do it quickly, and hope that it didn't somehow submerge and come after him.

"Good choice."

Sakura mumbled to herself as Kisame suddenly dove down into the water, she smiled to herself as she released her jutsu, allowing the wind and lightning to disipate and the column of water to collapse once more. His move was good, but not good enough, she still had enough chakra for one more hit, and she knew just where to strike.

Grinning insanely, Sakura pulled back, gathering chakra into her hand, she sent a silent prayer that she didn't accidently kill Kisame, she rushed forward, hitting the ground , causing it to crack and buck. The earth split beneath her fist, and greedily drank up the water, yet Sakura didn't stop to watch, she was already moving forward.

Itachi watched as the soaking wet woman dashed forward, toward Kisame, who lay sputtering on the muddy ground. He was suprised to see her snatch up Samehada on her way to the missing-nin, and even more so when it didn't try to harm her. Though he knew that both had held back during this fight, it had all been impressive. If they went all out, the fight could go either way.

Kisame blinked up in suprise when the covered tip of Samehada came to rest against his shoulder, almost gently. He was suprised at how beautiful Sakura looked at that very moment, her clothing clinging to her curves, her hood down, hair coming loose to curl around her face. Her eyes flashing triumphantly as she held _his_ sword against his throat, he could see the faint outline of a grin on her masked lips.

He was alittle annoyed that his sword hadn't cut her hands yet, and the annoyance grew when he heard it give a faint purring noise of pleasure. Stupid Samehada seemed to like the little pinkette, enough to let her use it at least. That's when he noticed her hand was glowing faintly, so she was giving it alittle of her chakra so it would allow her to hold it. Stupid traitorous sword,

"You lose, Kisame."

Kisame stared at the woman in slight suprise, did she really expect him to just give up, because she had his weapon? There was no way in hell he was gonna let her win, he didn't think he could survive two weeks without his sake, and he needed to win so he could see what hid beneath that mask. Slowly a grin worked its way across his face as he met those wide innocent looking emerald eyes.

Quick as a striking snake, Kisame lashed out, sweeping Sakura's feet out from under her. He was on her before her back even hit the ground, a kunai resting against her throat. It was his turn to grin triumphantly down at her,

"You so sure about that, Koneko-chan?"

Sakura blinked up at Kisame before a slow grin lit up her eyes, shifting her hand, she tapped her kunai against the inside of his thigh. Stifling a laugh when he froze, eyes widening in shock and just alittle fear. One wrong move and she could either castrate him or cut his femoral artery, whichever she decided.

It was Diedara's laughter that broke the tension in the air, the two glanced up at him, before looking back at each other. They both grinned before Kisame rolled off Sakura and up to his feet. His grin widened as he looked down at the pinkette in the mud, before he held out a hand, offering to help her up.

"Seems you both lost, yeah."

Sakura smiled briefly up at the blonde man, before excepting Kisame's hand, to allow him to pull her to her feet. Her smile widening even more when the wrapped sword purred in her hand, before she held it out to Kisame. She could see respect in the eyes of all four men, at least she assumed there was respect in Itachi's eyes. He was hard to read, like their was a wall between him and the world,

"Perhaps we both won, Diedara-san."

Itachi watched at the two muddy ninja climbed out of the crater, plans on how to get Sakura to assist them in the upcoming fight against Madara running through his mind. She would definintly be an asset to them, they would have to trainer with her, to grow her chakra reserves, but after that...

Sakura grinned at Hidan, who was swaying slightly from where he stood beside Diedara. The spar was over so now it was time to see to her patient. He needed to eat lunch, than get some rest, and she herself could use a shower and some food. She would be leaving soon, and though she would miss them, she was glad to know that she had least earned alittle friendship from them.

* * *

**And there ya go. Hope you all enjoyed my little fight scene that pretty much turned into mud wrestling. By the way, I have no idea if anyone really could do the water/wind/lightening thing that I had Sakura do, but hey it's my story right? And it's pretty awesome.**

**Anyway, this is done, I'll start on chapter 10 here in a bit, it should be out sometime tomorrow. Please review.**

**Thanks a million**


	10. Prelude to Tension

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One**

**Hey guys, sorry it took me a bit to get this one out, I had to take some time to puzzle out the best way to write it. Hope you all enjoy.**

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Pakkun burst through the trees and landed in the clearing with a soft thud, not at all suprised when the six Konoha shinobi all surrounded him. He had been sent to scout ahead, and he did not like what he had found, and he knew that they wouldn't either. He just hoped that none of them would get killed when they went after the missing Sakura,

"Found what looks like a war zone. There's a house not far from it. I would say, Sakura-chan tried to escape, fought, and was recaptured. From all the mud, I'd guess it was someone whose skilled with water jutsu. I couldn't smell any blood though, so I would say they aren't hurting her."

Naruto felt his blood boiling at the dark rage that was eating away at his insides, someone dare to hurt _his_ Sakura-chan. She was his teammate, his sister, and anyone who hurt her would pay, he would wrip them all to shreds and soak the ground with their blood. No one dared to hurt his precious people, most had learned long ago not to touch what was his, he would make these fools pay,

"Do you know who has her?"

Sasuke wasn't a fool, he wanted to vent his anger as much as anyone, but at the moment he needed to pay attention. He could scene Naruto's control slipping, so he did the only thing he could in this situation. He calmly rested his hand on the man's orange and black clad shoulder, squeezing firmly, trying to reasure and anchor. It wouldn't do for the blond to go into a killing rage, he would end up hurting his teammates in such a state,

"Well...there are four of them there, the only clear sent I got was Hoshigaki Kisame of Akatsuki's though."

Shikamaru closed his eyes with a curse, this wasn't good, how could there be four Akatsuki here? And how could they still be alive, none of this made any scene. Not to mention he was pretty sure that the six of them wouldn't be able to go up against them. Perhaps if they knew what condition Sakura was in, she could take one, than they could split up and take the other three. Or perhaps they could extract her and run, damn this wasn't looking good,

"Troublesome woman, had to go and get into trouble didn't she? Kakashi-san, we need to come up with a plan."

Kakashi forced himself to smile at the other's, though he knew that both Pakkun and Shikamaru could see how fake it was. He knew that they should send to Konoha for backup, but he also knew that they wouldn't get it if they did. It was up to the six of them to rescue Sakura, oh how he wished that they had found her in Earth instead of Grass. If they had found her in earth, they would atleast have the help of the Suna-nin,

"I will take Sasuke and Naruto with me, we will attack the rear of the building. With us working as a distraction you three can slip in and check for Sakura. We can buy you fifteen minutes, if you haven't located her by then get out. If we get seperated meet at rendezvous seven-fifty-Bravo."

Sai knew there where alot of holes in this plan, but they didn't have enough intel to come up with anything better. They needed to get to Sakura, before the ex-akatsuki members decided to just kill her. Hopefully Sakura would scene their chakra and slip out while the other's were fighting. So they could just grab her and go, glancing around he saw the determination on everyone's face's, it seemed there was no room for failor on this mission.

* * *

Sakura couldn't stop the small smile that crossed her face as she watched Kisame and Diedara bicker back and forth, expecially when the still quiet Hidan would throw the occasional insult at either one of them, with his half-whispered voice.

She would miss them when she left in the morning, in just a few short days she had come to like and respect all four of them. Kisame for his tough guy attitude, that always fell apart with a few well placed words from her. Diedara with his charm and smiles, he was always laughing and teasing her and the others, though it was more flirt than tease when it came to her. Hidan with his sullen glares that always turned to an embarresed stare whenever Sakura would do something, weither it was easing his pain, or helping him get from room to room.

And Itachi, the silent Uchiha who always seemed so withdrawn and aloof, yet he watched everything. He seemed to stare at her, peering into her very soul with that red-eyed stare of his. She didn't know what it was about him, but something seemed to tame that monster inside her, causing her to lower her guard and relax just alittle. His gaze was never judging, never mocking, it was always cool and unreadable, and she felt herself falling into it.

Slowly gathering food onto a plate infront of her she glanced around, a secret smile on her face when she noticed that only Itachi was paying attention to her. She was leaving tomorrow, so she decided that today, just today, she would let them all in, let them glimpse the real her that came out around them. Pulling down her mask to hang around her kneck she popped a peice of fish into her mouth, chewing slowly.

Hidan, who was sitting right beside her was the first to notice, the silver haired man froze, turning to face her slowly. His purple eyes open wide and mouth hanging open slightly in shock, as he gazed at her completely uncovered face. Both her hood and mask were down, giving him a perfect view of her angelic face. He was completely suprised by the beauty of the woman, he had half expected she hid her face because she was ugly, but there was nothing ugly about the woman before him.

Diedara glanced over when he saw Hidan freeze, and when he saw the Kunoichi with her face exposed, calmly eating her dinner, with a small smile on her lips he froze as well. Her pale skin was flawless, her lips a natural rosy color, she was a figure from every man's dream. A natural beauty that left the blond man speechless. He didn't even turn to look at Kisame when he heard the man grunt in annoyance.

Kisame was the last to turn to look at Sakura, and his reaction was by far the most amusing to the pinkette. The mist-nin jumped to his feet, causing his sake bottle to topple over, yet he paid no attention to it. Too busy pointing at Sakura, his mouth opening and closing in a lack of words. He hadn't expected her to ever remove her mask, and now that she had, the blue skinned man felt as if he was seeing more than just her face. He felt almost as if the woman was sitting there naked, and in a way he thought destractedly, she probably was.

"Is there a problem..._Kisame_?"

Itachi strode into the dinningroom, just in time to hear Sakura practically purr his partners name. He glanced around at the other three males, calmly taking in their shocked expressions, as they all ignored him to stare at the pink haired kunoichi. Finally he looked down at the woman, to see her sitting there with her mask down, and her hood thrown back, smirking slightly, as she calmly ate another peice of fish. Without a word he sank into his own seat, amused when suddenly all eyes were on him,

"That's it, yeah? No reaction what so ever about Sakura-hime having her mask down, yeah?"

Sakura smirked slightly to herself, she knew things were about to become chaotic, yet she didn't care. She knew that no matter how crazy it got here, they wouldn't hurt her, for the first time in five years, Sakura had found people she could trust. These four men excepted her as her, they didn't expect anything from her, and she knew, that with them, you got what you saw. They had no alterior motives where she was concerned,

"I've seen her face before, Diedara."

All three men stared at Itachi with shock and even alittle jealousy. None of them knew how she had done it, but in just the few short days they had known her, they had all come to care for her. She was like a flame, warm and inviting, calling all of them to her like moths, and they could no more resist her pull than they could resist gravity. She excepted them all as who they were, never once trying to change them into something else, her presence a wave of calm and exceptance, something none of them where use too.

"Sakura, We would like for you to remain here for the time being. Your assistance against Madara would be much appriciated."

Sakura blinked at Itachi in confusion, his pattern of speech once again amusing the pinkette. How someone who insisted on not talking formally when addressing each other, always used such a formal way of speaking. Perhaps it was the way he was raised, yet she never remembered Sasuke speaking like Itachi did. Shaking those thoughts from her head, she opened her mouth to answer, than froze. Casting her sense's out she groaned, dropping her head to her hands she laughted slightly,

"It seems we have company."

Standing with an almost feral grin, Sakura quickly pulled her hood and mask up, once again hiding her face from view. She cast a glance around at the four men, who were slowly climbing to their feet, tense for battle, yet confused as they couldn't sense the concealed chakra as she could. Well, she assumed that was what Itachi was feeling, his face, like always, was carefully blank,

"Six Konoha nin are here. I would assume that they are after me."

Diedara blinked in shock, only now that she had pointed it out could he sense the approaching shinobi. How had she known they were there, they had supressed their chakra enough that they were barely noticable. Was she really that alert and guarded, or was she just that intune with what went on around her, that the slightest change was noticed,

"What do they want, yeah? To drag you back to their village for judgement or something, yeah?"

Hidan felt his stomach drop at Diedara's question, surely they wouldn't come all this way just to kill her, not after all she had done for them. Fuck, he had to be feeble and useless at a time like this, when he was needed, he couldn't do shit. He really wished he had gone and done a Jashin damn ritual now, it would heal his body and give his strength back. Right now, he couldn't even stand, let alone help defend the pink haired medic,

"Iie, Diedara, it is more than likely my absence has been noticed and the worse assumed. They are here to either rescue me, or to silence me, whichever their mission."

Kisame grinned widely at the rosette, already feeling bloodlust surge through him. If those Konoha-brats thought they were gonna lay a hand on their Hime, they had another thing coming. Though he hadn't know Sakura long, Kisame already knew she would go to great lengths to help them, as long as they never threatened Konoha, how could they not repay such friendship?

"Lets go say hello than, eh Sakura-hime?"

Sakura stared at him for several moments, her eyes softening beneath the cover of her hood. Nodding Sakura met each and everyone's eyes, before she turned and left the room, flanked by all four men. Even Hidan, who was still frail and sickly, carried himself with a dangerous air. She knew they wouldn't harm the Konoha nin, only because they knew she still cared for them. It fell to her to keep a fight from breaking out, she just hoped she could, she didn't want to have to choose a side. Because she was begining to think she may just choose the ex-akatsuki.

* * *

Kakashi froze, both his revealed eyes widening as he watched the black clad Night Angel stroll calmly out into the open, flanked by Itachi, Diedara, Kisame, and Hidan. His emotions were waring with one another, he was releaved she was alright, but angry that she stood there, calmly surrounded by Akatsuki. Had she truelly batrayed them all?

"Ne, Hatake-san, I was not expecting for you to be here."

Sakura watched as Sasuke and Naruto came barreling out of the trees, like their sensei, freezing when they noticed her. Yet she stood their calmly, surrounded by s-rank criminals. Sighing slightly, she flared her chakra, calling for the other's to join them here. She might as well face all six of them than only half of the group, she did not like to repeat herself after all,

"Sakura..."

Sasuke flinched at the way Naruto said their former teammate's name, it was a painful whisper, filled with hurt, and batrayal. He watched as the cloaked figure turned her head to look at the blond. He could hear the smile in her voice when she spoke, and it angered him, almost as much as it did to see her standing with his brother,

"Naruto-kun, it's been awhile, how are you?"

Shikamaru jumped sped into the clearing behind the building, carefully taking in everything. Kakashi, Sasuke and Naruto were all frozen, staring at what he knew was Sakura. And she...she just stood there calmly, surrounded by the Akatsuki. Had she decided to truelly become a missing nin, in more than name? Glancing over the men who flanked them, he froze as well.

"You..."

Sakura sighed sadly, as she took in Hinata's fearful expression, and Shikamaru's frozen rage. She wondered who he was angrier with, her for being here, or Hidan for being alive. She glanced between the four men at her sides, and the six nin infront of her. She knew that this wouldn't be able to be ended without a fight, without bloodshed. She was standing on the edge, she could side with her old home and try to fight and kill Itachi, Kisame, Diedara, and Hidan.

Or she could side with her new friends, and fight against these people infront of her. She knew she would be unable to kill them, she loved them all in her own way, and she wouldn't let them kill each other. She felt tears gathering in her eyes as she felt her heart clench painfully, she had to choose. How naive of her to think she wouldn't have had too.

"I'm...sorry..."

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**Ha and that is the end of that chapter. CLIFF HANGER FOR ALL OF YOU! Now, I'm pretty sure how its gonna go from here, but I would like to hear your thoughts. Who do you think Sakura should choose, or should she choose at all? I mean she could just go completely bat-shit and run screaming through the woods. **

**Anyway, please review and tell me what you think. Look for chapter 11 in the next day or two.**

**Thanks a million,**

**Kyo**


	11. Heartbreaking Betrayal

**Disclaimer: Please see chapter one.**

**Thank you all for your lovely reviews. They helped me solidify how to write this chapter. I know you were all alittle **_**exited**_** about how I left the last chapter as a cliff hanger, lucky for you I love you all. So I'm gonna go ahead and post this instead of making you wait another day or so.**

**Anyway, enough teasing, I give to you, chapter 11!**

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Sakura wasn't at all suprised to find Sai was the only one who wasn't frozen with confusion or anger. The emotionally challenged nin just stood there, his fake smile present, as he took everything in. Sakura knew that he was hiding behind that smile at the moment, using it to mask his thought and feeling. Just as she knew he was probably the only one from Konoha who wasn't going to attack her for just standing with the ex-akatsuki members,

"Sakura-chan...how could you...I thought..."

Sakura tilted her head slightly to study Naruto as his question seemed to just trickle to a stop. Did he truelly believe that she would betray Konoha, betray him, whom she loved as a brother? She shifted forward slightly, as if to go to him, but stopped when every Konoha nin tensed, as if afraid she was going to attack her friend. Sighing Sakura shifted back to where she had originally stood, her gaze soft as she stared at Naruto,

"Nothing has changed Naruto-kun, I still love my brother, and I still love Konoha."

Sakura jumped and glanced back when she felt Diedara's hand land on her shoulder, squeezing firmly, offering comfort. She couldn't help but to smile greatfully at the blonde man. It was than that she knew that the four men wouldn't attack the Konoha nin unless they attacked first. They were letting her try to settle this without bloodshed, they really were nothing like she had been told growing up.

"So are you a hostage...or a whore Sakura? Why else would you be with _them_?"

On instinct Sakura threw her arm's out, stopping both Kisame and diedara from rushing to kill Sasuke in her defense. It seemed they didn't like her being called a whore, she hadn't expected them to be protective of her, she hadn't known them long after all. It seemed that once again, were the ex-Akatsuki were concerned, she had been wrong once again. Without dropping her arms, she turned her hooded stare to the angry raven haired boy, who stared at her with hatred filled sharingan,

"I am a medic-nin Sasuke-_kun_, I merelly heal those who are in need, but never if they intend to harm Konoha. My loyalty has always been, and will always be, to Konohagakure and those who live within her walls."

Sakura could tell by Sasuke's flinch, that even though she hadn't said it, he understood exactly what she was saying. Unlike Sasuke, she hadn't left the village by choice, so she still defended it, unlike himself, who hadn't cared what happened to the village while he was away. She finally dropped her arms, upon feeling both Kisame and Diedara relax slightly,

"You betrayed Konoha by helping them, Sakura. You betrayed _me_ by helping that _monster_."

Sakura stuggled for a moment against the blackness that threatened to over take her, at Shikamaru's contempt filled words. She could see the cold rage eating at her friends mind from where she stood. She felt Hidan shift slightly from where he stood behind her, and she wondered briefly if he wanted to attack Shikamaru for calling him a monster. Or if he wanted to attack him for calling her a traitor, or perhaps both,

"I do what I must to survive, Shikamaru."

Sakura cursed under her breath, she could feel the tension mounting in the air, and the animal in her was awake, and ready for the fight it knew was coming. She wouldn't allow them to kill each other, she would die herself before she let that happen, but she knew she wouldn't be able to stop the upcoming battle,

"Enough talk, Sakura, your a traitor, and we're here to take you back to Konoha to face judgement for your crimes."

Sakura hid her flinch at those painful words, and she could see Kakashi, Hinata, and Naruto flinch as well. It seemed they atleast, didn't want to fight either, they seemed to just want to find answers. Sakura jumped slightly when Kisame let loose a booming laugh, before he through his arm around her shoulder,

"Crimes? Tch, what crime has Sakura-hime commited? The crime of being chased from her home because she refused to marry who YOU said she should marry? The crime of killing a man YOU wanted dead, but were too weak to kill? The crime of being loyal to a bunch of weak little Konoha brats like yourselves?"

Sakura felt like she was being torn in two, Kisame's words warmed her soul, like a healing of a painful hole in her heart that she didn't even know she had. Yet the painful guilt present on Kakashi's face tore at her anew, making her wish to go and comfort the man. To tell him that everything would be okay, and that she hadn't betrayed the village. Diedara spoke up before she could though, adding his two scense to the mess,

"We can't help it that you cast Sakura-hime aside, yeah. We just picked up what you deemed as trash, and realized what a real treasure she really is, yeah."

Sakura was suprised to see Kakashi, Sasuke, and Naruto sink into themselves, all three looked as if they were under a great weight, and it was crushing them. She could see the tears gathering in both Naruto and Hinata's eyes at how this situation was playing out. Sai just looked bored, yet Sakura could see the pain in those normally emotionless eyes. Yet Shikamaru remained unmoved, an uncontrollable rage in those dark eyes,

"I know you hate Hidan for what he did to Asuma, Shikamaru. But the past cannot be changed, only the future remains unwritten."

Sakura watched as Shikamaru tensed, it suprised her to see such emotion, such loathing in the man's normally calm attitude. Yet at the same time it didn't, she knew that Shikamaru didn't hate many people, yet here he was, facing the one man he hated. The man who had killed his teacher, and Sakura, whom had healed the man, who Shikamaru deemed not worthy of any show of kindness,

"The future will be written without him in it, Sakura. Help us destroy them, they're a threat to Konoha. If you don't help us, you will have truelly betrayed the village, and we will drag you back, dead or alive."

Sakura felt tears gathering in her eyes at Shikamaru's words, he had just sealed the deal with his demand. After she had left Konoha, Sakura swore that she would never again allow someone to order her into doing something she did not wish to do. By ordering her to kill the four men behind her, he had made sure she would fight them. She wondered if that was his goal, to make her fight them, so he could kill her for helping Hidan,

"Foolish boy."

Sakura felt her heart constrict at Itachi's half murmered words, it seemed that she truelly had changed, more so than she originally believed. She had changed so much, that her old teammates, her old friends, couldn't understand her. Yet, with those two words, Itachi had told her that they did, that they understood, that when backed into a corner, Sakura would fight. Even if it was something she would have done, had she been asked, she would fight it if ordered to do it.

"TRAITOR!"

There was no more time for words, no more time to try and stop the fight. Sakura felt her heart shatter, breaking into millions of peices, moments before blackness clouded her conscious mind. She struggled a but a moment, sending up a silent plea that no one die in this pointless battle, before her rage completely took her.

Her stance became more feral, more uncontrolled and loose, than any well trained shinobi would use. Two kunai seemed to just appear into her hands, that held them loosely, with an ease that spoke of years of fighting to survive. Her green eyes flashing with glee beneath her dark hood, her mask twisting around contorted lips. She would face the shadow man who dare to challange her, she would bleed him dry, she would dance in his blood, and laugh at his pained death scream. She was the Night Angel, she was justice, she was vengence, and there was no mercy for those who stood in her way.

* * *

Diedara had a brief moment of concern when he watched Sakura change suddenly when the stupid kid yelled at her. She seemed completely insane at that moment, and he wondered if they would be able to call her back. Would they beable to save her from herself, or would Sakura-hime be lost to the darkness that lived within them all?

His thoughts where suddenly pushed aside when he saw the blond jinchuuriki come charging at him, making clones as he ran. It seemed the kid wanted a rematch, and who was he to deny him? He would just need to be careful, he couldn't kill the kid, that would hurt his _Hime_, and that was something he didn't want to do.

"How bout we take this fight elsewhere, eh kid, yeah? Wouldn't want to disturb the Princess' playtime."

Naruto snarled angrily as he watched Diedara take off on one of his stupid clay birds, he didn't hesitate to barrel through the trees. He would make sure to beat that smug grin of the older man's face.

Something in the back of his mind told him he shouldn't kill the man, just beat him half to death. He knew that if any one of them died, it would be Sakura who suffered the most, and she had suffered the most. He wanted to see her face again, he wanted to see that happy, carefree smile, that had always seemed to light everything up, and make it all okay.

So just this once, he wouldn't kill his enemy, he would just beat him, make him understand the pain that ate at Naruto's heart. A pain born from his inability to protect his precious person. He would make Diedara suffer, than he would make the other blond promise to protect Sakura when he couldn't.

He could tell from the way Sakura had spoken that she too was in pain, that she wanted nothing more than to curl up and cry, yet she hadn't. She didn't want to choose, she loved them all, equally, so Naruto wouldn't make her choose. He wouldn't force her to pick whom she loved the most, because he knew she didn't love one side more than the other.

This would be his gift to his friend, to his sister, he would not force her back into a village that wanted her to bend to its will. He would not allow her father to hurt her anymore, nor would he allow anyone else to harm her. From just that short conversation, he could tell that these ex-Akatsuki felt the same.

For her...he was willing to forgive them...For her...he was willing to let her go, to let her have her happiness. Even if it lay outside the village, with people who had once hunted him. For his sister, he could forgive, and move on, he could become stronger.

* * *

Itachi blinked slowly, casting a superior smirk at his brother, one that he knew would set the teen off. He would draw both his Otouto and the Copy-nin away from the base, and Sakura. He would battle them, but he wouldn't kill them if he could avoid it.

It mildly suprised him how, in just a few short days, Sakura already had them going against their nature. She had all of them, Kisame, Hidan, Diedara, and even himself, going out of their way to not kill the Konoha shinobi, because they all knew it would hurt her.

He vaguelly wondered if it was some form stange jutsu that had them all willing to do so much for her. The other's even called her 'hime' a name that caused her brow to crease in frustration every time they uttered it. Yet it was fitting, in a way he assumed.

Itachi landed calmly in a clearing, alittle north of the base and Sakura's fight, and just alittle west of Diedara and the jinchuuriki's battle. He waited patiently for the two men to catch up, his mind still puzzling over the pink haired nin.

Yes, it was fitting, Sakura was their 'hime' the only woman, beside Konan, that any of them had respected it years. The only one that they were willing to go out of their way for. Though...if it wasn't for the fact that she seemed to hold them all as family, as a salvation from the darkness that devoured her, they probably would have allowed the Konoha shinobi to have her. Her blind faith that they wouldn't harm her or her village, seemed to demand the same in return from them,

"Ah, Otouto, glad you could join me."

Sasuke glared angrily at his brother, he wasn't sure what he wanted at the moment. The part of him that still blamed Itachi for the massacre wanted to kill his brother. Yet the part of him that understood he did as ordered, the part that had forgiven him, wanted to rush up to his brother. To perhaps shake him, or maybe hug him after all these years. Perhaps it would be best to settle on a happy medium, to just beat him, but not kill him. To prove that he was better, that he was stronger.

"This ends today, Aniki."

Kakashi landed silently beside Sasuke, staring carefully at Itachi, never meeting the other man's eyes. The grey haired man wanted nothing more than to leave without fighting Itachi, to go back to Sakura, to hold her and protect her from the world. To tell her he was sorry for the past, to say that he loved her, and that she would always be his musume. More his than the man who raised her,

"Itachi...if you win, tell Sakura that I love her as a daughter...and that I am proud of her."

Kakashi took a chance and looked up, meeting the other man's eyes, suprised to find not sharingan, but unfocused dark eyes staring back at him. This gaze was perhaps more threatening, more probing than his sharingan, it seemed to weigh him, to take his full measurement for the first time. After a long moment, Itachi inclined his head slightly, his eyes blinking once, before the sharingan was once again in his eyes,

"She knows."

Without another word, Kakashi and Sasuke both jumped forward, one fighting against confusion, the other fighting against the want to not have this battle. Itachi merely stood, sharingan blazing in his eyes, and for perhaps the first time, sadness wormed its way into the man's heart.

* * *

Kisame cocked his head to the side after Itachi left, casually examining the two shinobi who stood before him. The man seemed to be completely blank, showing less emotion than even Itachi nomally did. The woman seemed sad and fearful, not even looking at him. Her pale eyes were locked on Sakura-hime, as she fought against the pineapple headed man.

Glancing over his shoulder at Hidan, he scoffed when he saw the silver haired man, sitting calmly on the ground, resting his back against the side of the base. His violet eyes closed, he seemed to be asleep, but Kisame knew better. Hidan like the rest, was still paying attention to Sakura, the medic seemed to overshadow everything. Clouding their mind's and making them all want to see her happy.

Finally he turned back to the two nin infront of him to see both of them staring at him. Shifting Samehada alittle, he rubbed the back of his head as he thought of the best way to handle this mess. For the first time in his life he actually didn't want to fight, and that confused the hell out of him. Getting fed up with it all, he finally snapped at the two Konoha brats infront of him,

"We gonna do this, or just stand around and stare?"

Hidan cracked one of his eyes open and chuckled when he saw the pale eyed woman flinch than fidget at Kisame's harsh tone. The man who stood behind her, his expression completely lifeless and blank, simply tilted his head slightly to the left. Hidan opened his other eye to look fully at the Konoha shinobi, before glancing over at Sakura.

Even though he knew she wasn't fighting just for him, yet he still felt guilt. If it wasn't for him, than maybe it wouldn't have come to this. If she hadn't healed him, if Itachi hadn't dug him up, than maybe they wouldn't force her into a corner, maybe they would simply would have let her have her friendship with the other's. Sighing, Hidan once again closed his eyes, allowing his head to fall back against the building with a soft thud.

"Whatever the hell you decide to do, go do it fucking somewhere else. Sakura-hime, needs to fucking concentrate on her jashin damn fight with the stupid pineapple boy."

Kisame twitched when the pale eyed woman let loose a nervous giggle, he wasn't expecting that. He wondered exactly what the hell the girl was laughing at, Hidan's curses, or his name for the other Konoha brat. What was his name again? Shika...Shiki...Shikamira or something, damn, he couldn't remember.

"I...I'm s..s..sorry. I..It just m..makes me h..h..happy that S.. has p..p..people who care f..for h..h..her."

Hinata fidgeted nervously as all three men turned to stare at her, all with unreadable unreadable expressions. She swayed slightly in dizziness when she felt her face heat up in embarressment, she suddenly wished that she hadn't said anything. Especially when the blue skinned Kisame's face split into a wide grin, his sharp teeth visible as he looked her over,

"Che, think it's some kinda jutsu?"

This time it was Hidan's turn to laugh, though he cut it off quickly, wincing slightly in pain as his throat constricted. Fuck, he hated feeling so weak, rubbing his throat he never noticed the Hyuuga woman slowly walking over to him. He did flinch and snap his eyes open when he felt a hand come to rest against his arm gently,

"L...lets leave S..S..Sakura-chan a..alone. I can e..ease the p..p..pain for y..you. I'm n..not as g..g..good as S..Sakura-c..chan, b..b..but I c..can do a..alittle."

Sai allowed himself a small smile, before quickly schooling his expression. He knew Hinata was willing to overcome her fear of these S-class criminals for Sakura. He glanced at the the mist nin who only seemed to smile wider at the whole situation, and Sai knew that Kisame also understood why the pale eyed woman offered to help Hidan, when she could be tried for treason for such a thing.

"Why?"

Hinata felt herself smile slightly, her courage bolstered by the man's honest confusion. She stood slowly, holding her hand out to the man. She could see clearly the pain in those unusual violet eyes. She knew that if not for Sakura, that he would have died from malnourishment, he was nothing more than skin and bones at the moment,

"B..because Sakura-chan c..cares for you."

Hidan hesitated, wondering if this was a trap of some sort, before sliding his hand into the nervous woman's smaller one. He allowed her to help him up, never once breaking eye contact with her. It seemed that the he and the other nukenin weren't the only ones willing to do things they normally wouldn't, for the pink haired medic.

* * *

**And there ya go. The next chapter will pretty much be nothing but bloodshed and fighting so be warned. Like always I'll try to keep it from being too gory. And either at the very end of the next chapter, or at the begining of the one after we'll see alittle romance between Itachi and Sakura.**

**And before you ask, no, there will be no romance between Hinata and Hidan, though that would be cute in an insane fashion...**

**Anyway, please review, I love hearing what you have to say. **

**Thanks a million,**

**Kyo**


	12. Brutal Insanity

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

**Alright, here we go, the fight scenes. I'm gonna focus mainly on Shika and Sakura, their fight is the most important, but you'll get little blips into the other's fights. I'm not real great at writing drawn out fight scenes, so please be nice. **

**When refering to Sakura through most of this chapter I'll probably call her Night Angel, or simply Angel, since that is what is in control at the moment.**

* * *

Sakura's lips tugged up into a sadistic smile as she jumped aside, once again avoiding the shadows that attempted to pin her down. How foolish of the little man, using his fancy tricks to throw shuriken and kunai at her. She was mildly impressed by the fact that she had an almost constant rain of metal flying at her from every direction, but if he wished to hurt her, he would need to up his game,

"Perhaps you should consider giving up...you just not good enough to beat me."

Shikamaru cursed as he jumped out of the way of the black clad hurricane that was Sakura, as she landed where he had been. Causing the ground to split and shattered, boulders and chunks of dirt flying everywhere. She sheer force of her blow, blew her hood back, revealing to him, the first time in five years, her bright pink hair.

If only she would hold still for just one second he would have her, yet she read his movements, and easily avoided everyone of his attacks. If it wasn't for the knowledge she came from the Haruno clan instead of the Uchiha clan, he would almost think she possessed the sharingan. He felt his eyes widen when she spun to face him, before once again jumping away, slowly drawing closer to him.

He had just caught a glimpse of those big green eyes, and they sent a chill down his spin. No wonder she had betrayed everyone, her eyes showed nothing but a dark glee, a hunger for bloodlust. Those eyes reminded him of the first time he met Gaara, before he had learned to trust people, to control himself. This wasn't the same gentle Sakura he had been friends with, this was the Night Angel, and she was insane, and would gladly kill him.

"I can't believe this, Sakura. You really have lost your mind."

The Night Angel twisted in midair, decending rapidly on the man who stood below her, her katana slipping silently from its sheath. How dare he speak that name, that pink haired weakling wasn't there to save him. No, this man was her's, his life belonged to the Night Angel now, and she was going to end it for him.

The pink haired woman snarled and spun away, once again jumping up into the tree's, keeping herself constantly moving. She was mildly impressed when the man had fully blocked her katana with his kunai, few people had managed to repel such an attack. Crowing loudly in glee, she once again dropped from the tree's, punching the ground, scant feet from where the man stood.

Shikamaru struggled to remain standing when the ground swelled and bucked beneath his feet. His shadow moved almost against his knowledge out after the pink devil, trying to catch her, trying to pin her. A part of him wanted to hurt her, to watch her thrash around in pain, to scream out as death claimed her, for this betrayal she had commited.

Yet a voice in the back of his head urged him to pause, to think about all this. It kept calling out that this was Haruno Sakura, his friend, the woman who even though she could no longer go home remained loyal. That part of his mind, he struggled so hard to ignore was shouting that if she had helped their enemies she had done it for a reason.

Fight against himself, as much as he fought against the woman who was attacking him with a deadly speed. She would dart in to slash at him, before slipping back, only to appear again from elsewhere. Giving the shadow user nothing but flashes of pink, black, and sparkling green, before it was gone again.

"Your so slow...I was hoping you would be better than this..."

The Night Angel called as she slipped forward once again, her kunai hitting flesh, causing the man to hiss in pain, before she once again pulled away. This was what, the fifth or sixth time she had cut him, and yet he still stood there, arms up in defense, as he tried to predict her moves. Didn't he know she had learned long ago to be unpredictable, to always keep moving, to never attack the same place twice.

The green eyed woman dove forward again, only to come to a sudden stop, he had managed to catch her. He had actually managed to capture her shadow, but how, was she wrong, was she predictable? No, that wasn't it, glancing down she saw that he had extended his shadow into a circle about six meters across. He had set a trap and all he had to do was wait for her to attack once again before he latched onto her, seemed she had underestimated her opponent. She would make him regret her mistake,

"I'll drag you back to Konoha whether you want to go or not, Onna. But first I'm gonna rebury that monster."

Shikamaru watched as the pinkhaired woman, who stood less than three feet from him snarled angrily. All he needed to do was incapacitate her, than he could take care of Hidan. He would make sure that no one could unbury him ever again, and he would make sure Sakura payed for helping him.

* * *

Diedara couldn't help but laugh as he threw bomb after bomb at the hyper blond, at the same time dodging the young man's attacks. This 'fight' was feeling more like a heated spar than an actual life or death battle, and judging by the jinchuuriki's grin he felt the same way,

"Hey, why dyou call Sakura-chan, Hime?"

If someone had told Naruto a day ago, that he would be enjoying a fight with an Akatsuki member, he probably would have laughed in their face. Yet here he was, giving as good as he got from the blond bomber, none of their attacks actually aimed to cause damage. His grin just as wide as the other man's,

"Cause it annoys her, yeah."

Diedara blinked and paused when he saw Naruto freeze and stare at him for several long moments, before the younger blond collapsed onto the ground with a roar of laughter. Diedara fought against it, but soon he too was sitting on the ground laughing just as hard, tears rolling down both men's faces.

"Your either crazy, or extremely brave."

Naruto said as he tried to calm down, he didn't even bother to stand, he just turned his head to stare at the man who sat just feet from him. He suddenly found himself not wanting to fight the older man, instead he wanted to get to know him. To learn what kinda person he was, especially now that he was friends with his Sakura-chan,

"Maybe alittle of both, yeah.''

Diedara studied the Kyuubi vessel for several moments, before leaning back to rest his weight on his elbows. They were both covered in shallow cuts and dirt, they could stop fighting, and just tell the other's later that it had been a draw. He wanted to find out more about their princess, and he had a feeling this blond kid could answer his questions.

* * *

Hinata kneeled silently beside Hidan, her chakra slipping gently from his body, she had to admit she was impressed. His body had been on the brink of completely shutting down, but Sakura had pulled him back, had healed him. She knew she should be afraid of the violet eyed man, yet she just couldn't bring herself to be, he was a friend of Sakura's, so she was pretty sure he wouldn't attack her,

"D..do you t..think S..Sakura-c..chan will be o...okay?"

Hidan looked at the dark haired girl in suprise, he hadn't expected her to really heal him, let alone talk to him. Her stutter annoyed him, but he was begining to think it was something she always did, not something brought on by fear. Sighing he leaned back against a tree, casting his glance over to Kisame and the emo boy, before once again looking at the pearl eyed girl,

"She beat Fish-boy."

Kisame spun to face Hidan with an annoyed glare, he was begining to remember why he hated the Jashinist. He was always crude profanity and annoyingly rude nicknames, and he wasn't someone you could kill to shut up. No you would cut off his head, and he would still yell insults at you,

"It was a draw, Zombie-man."

Sai watched as the two Akatsuki men glared at each other, reminding him of Naruto and Sasuke. Without saying a word he sat and pulled his sketch book from it's place, he wanted to draw that scene from earlier. The one where Sakura had stood regal and imposing, surrounded by these dangerous men. Perhaps he would draw Ugly without her hood and mask though...hmm,

"Only cause you attacked her when her fucking defenses were down, you fucking Fish Stick."

Hinata blinked in suprise at Hidan's crude words, before a smile appeared on her face, as she watched the two men throw insults back and forth. No wonder Sakura-chan liked them, they were still scary, but so was the rosette. No Sakura-chan was more like them than she was like the people form Konoha, these men could accept her for what she was, they wouldn't try to change her back.

"I..I'm glad S..Sakura-chan h..has y..you all."

Hidan stopped mid sentence to once again focus on the woman beside him, he noticed that Kisame was also looking at the girl now. It was so strange to hear someone say they were glad that they were there, even if it was for a friend of theirs. Sighing, Hidan muttered a curse, before finally asking the woman,

"Why are you fucking glad?"

Kisame snorted when the woman's face flushed at Hidan's question, apparently she wasn't use to people swearing at her. Though if she hung around with Hidan long enough, he would probably break her of that. Kisame himself was wishing she hadn't healed the silver haired man's throat, if she would have left it alone, than he would still be mute,

"S..Sakura-c..c..chan doesn't h...have m..many friends."

Sai glanced up and smirked when he saw the confusion melt from the two hardened men, to be replaced by a softer look, a look of understanding. Returning to his sketchpad never noticing his smirk become an actual smile as he stared down at the begining of Sakura's face. Yes, the medic had that effect, she always brought out the best in people, whether they wanted it or not.

* * *

Kakashi wanted to be anywhere but here, he didn't want to have to focus on fighting the man infront of him. He didn't want to have to worry about his dark haired student rushing head long into this fight without a stratagy. No, the silver haired man wanted to return to Sakura, to pull her away from Shikamaru, to hold her close and protect her.

He had told the member's of team seven long ago that he would protect them, and yet he had failed. He hadn't been able to protect the only female of his team from her own family, and because of his failure she had been forced to leave. It was all his fault they were here now, fighting against supposidly dead Akatsuki members.

"Kakashi-sensei, just stay out of my way. I'll deal with my brother."

Sasuke wouldn't kill his brother, but he would beat him, he would show his Aniki that he had become powerful. He would make his brother acknowledge him as an equal, than he could move on. He would rebuild his clan, and he just needed to find the perfect matriarch, since he could no longer use Sakura like he had planned.

She would have been perfect, she was strong and would be able to produce powerful children, but she was out of his reach now. If he followed his plan to rebuild the clan within Konoha, he would need someone who could enter the village.

"Foolish, Otouto."

To say Itachi was bored would be an understatement, he had fought against his foolish brother too many times now to find it interesting. No, he would rather be watching the petite pink haired medic fight against the shadow user. He did not doubt that the girl would win, but the fight would be interesting at least, and perhaps would give him better knowledge about the woman.

He would end this fight quickly, his brother was the only one who was attacking, Hatake Kakashi simply stood there, looking deep in thought. Perhaps, he like Itachi, wanted to return to watch the fight between Sakura and the Nara. Itachi allowed himself to show just the smallest smirk when his brother charged him, chidori in hand, truelly foolish little brother...

"SASUKE WATCH OUT!"

Kakashi knew as soon as Sasuke charged that this fight was going to end, Itachi was just too strong for his brother. He had allowed Sasuke to believe he had bested him once, he wasn't going to do so again. Kakashi almost sighed when Sasuke was sent flying backwards by the force of Itachi's hit, he was pretty sure that the elder brother wouldn't kill the younger. It would upset Sakura, and for some reason, none of the Akatsuki seemed to want to do that, yet he would be prepared to intervene, just in case.

* * *

Shikamaru cursed under his breath as sweat ran down his kneck, he had never met anyone who would fight against his shadow imitation technique. Yet there stood the pinkette, snarling with an animilistic rage, as her muscles twitched and flexed, trying to break free of his jutsu. There was no doubt that if it were simple chains that held her, she would be thrashing around violently.

"Just give up Sakura."

The Night Angel snarled angrily, trying to force her body to move, as she watched the shadow man pull a handful of shuriken from his pouch at his back, her own body mimicing her moves. Yet unlike him, she had no weapon's pouch on her back, so her hand simply brushed her cloak before returning empty handed.

Sakura stuggled against the Night Angel, trying desperatly to once again take control of her mind and body, as she watched the shuriken come flying toward her. With a scream that echoed within her mind and around the forest, she regained control, but it was too late.

Sakura dropped her head to stare at her chest, once again free to move, but she didn't, she just stood there and stared. She couldn't seem to wrap her mind around the pain, slowly she sank to her knees, her hands comming up by their own accord to slide the four metal shuriken from her chest. Sakura felt her vision dim, darkness pulling at her, beckoning to her, offering her safty and comfort. Slowly Sakura lifted her head, her pink braid falling down her back, strands slowly working their way free. Her green eyes locked onto Shikamaru's cold brown eyes, she could feel herself loosing control,

"Shika...run..."

Shikamaru blinked in suprise when Sakura suddenly doubled over, what was she doing, was this some kinda trap? He knew he hadn't hit anything vital, yet she looked as if she was dying, had he misjudged something? No, that was impossible, and what was the 'run' about? He had beaten her, so why was she telling him to run away? Unless she was trying to tell the other's to run, but they weren't here to hear her.

He had just taken a step forward, when suddenly the woman's head snapped up, her eyes wide and empty. He watched in horror as her body jerked backward, her spine arching upward violently, as she screamed, a sound he knew would haunt him for the rest of his life. Her body thrashed violently, as if fighting against some imaginary hold or something.

Than just as suddenly she went still, her body collapsing to the ground, and everything seemed to still. The very tree's stilled, and seemed to hold their breath...waiting. Than a laugh filled the air, causing Shikamaru to jump in suprise.

Sakura was..laughing...but it wasn't a happy sound, no it full of malice and ill intent, it seemed he had been wrong. The Sakura he faced before hadn't been crazy, but the one who was slowly rising from the ground, surely was. Shikamaru cursed as he jumped backwards, away from the woman who now stood there, her masked face twisted up in glee.

What had he done? What was this thing that had replaced the once loving woman? What had he released. He sent up a quick flare of chakra, asking for help, he was almost out of chakra, and he didn't think he could survive without help. This person who watched him like a hawk watching a mouse, wouldn't hesitate or pull blows, she would kill him,

"What are you?"

The Night Angel let loose another malicious laugh, she would finally get to play, it had been so long. She would kill this boy quickly as repayment for allowing her to cast aside her chains, she would kill all who stood in her way. Everyone who threatened her would perish, and nothing could stop her, because her gentler self was busy crying in the back of her mind.

"I am the Night Angel."

Than she moved, dashing forward to land a hard punch into the man's stomach, sending him flying backwards through the air. She spun away, appearing behind him, lashing out with her foot, kicking him in the spin, she grinned gleefully as his momentum caused his body to twist strangely, before he went flying forward.

She jumped forward with another laugh, when he crashed into a tree, sinking to the ground in a heap. Ah ah, he wasn't allowed to pass out yet, she wasn't done with him. She landed infront of him, lashing out with a harsh backhand, that sent him sliding sideways. This was just too easy,

"Che, weak."

Shikamaru spat the blood he felt pooling into his mouth out onto the ground, staring up at Sakura. He watched as she slowly approached him, her movements graceful and deadly, and he cursed himself. He had let his anger blind him, he had attacked a friend instead of trying to talk to them, and now he would die. He couldn't even bring himself to fight against her when she reached down.

The Night Angel grinned in triumph as she lifted the man off the ground, her hand securely wrapped around his throat. She could tell he was drained, no more energy, no more chakra, he couldn't stop her. He was going to die, and no one could stop her. Grin widening beneath her mask, she pulled her fist back, gathering chakra into her hand for the final killing blow. Yes, she would shower the forest with this foolish man's blood.

* * *

**bwahahaha and thats the end of this chapter. You'll have to wait till tomorrow for what happens now.**

**Will anyone show up in time, or will poor Shika (whose finally realized he was being stupid) die.**

**Anyway, I love the mental image of Diedara and Naruto sitting together on the ground, both grinning and covered in small scratches and dirt, its just amusing to me.**

**Please review and tell me what you think.**

**Thanks a million,**

**Kyo**


	13. Blood and Tears

**Disclaimer: See chapter one.**

**Okay, now its time to wrap up the fight, and I think you'll all enjoy the way I do this. So please review when your done reading.**

* * *

Time seemed to slow down for Shikamaru, everything narrowing in on Sakura's incoming fist. They say your life flashes before your eyes when death comes crashing down, but the only thing that plagued the dark haired man was regrets. He regreted losing his cool, not allowing Sakura to explain, pushing her into this course of action. He knew this would probably break her completely, she would blame herself, not him, yet it was all his fault.

His fault that he was about to meet a painful, messy end. He may not be a medic, but he knew what was going to happen when that fist collided with his chest. The force would snap his spin, and more than likely force all his organs to be blown out his back. He would have just seconds before everything went numb, but he would fill it. It would be nothing compared to the agony that Sakura would suffer when she realized just what she had done.

Shikamaru wished he had more time, just a few more seconds, he wanted to tell her he was sorry, that he didn't blame her. But time was one thing he didn't have anymore, because it was speeding up again. That glowing fist racing toward his chest, and he couldn't stop himself from squeezing his eyes shut, he didn't wish to see Death when it claimed him.

* * *

Hidan froze mid stretch, his eyes snapping open to stare in the direction of the base. He felt the flare of Konoha-bastard's chakra for just a brief moment, before it was drown out by someone elses. It felt familiar, almost like Sakura's, yet it was dark, malicious...dangerous. It reminded him of Madara's chakra, but he knew that the old Uchiha wasn't here. No, something was very, very wrong, and Sakura was right at the heart of it.

"Fuck!"

Kisame like Hidan had felt the warring chakra's, but he knew instantly what had happened. He had caught just a brief glimpse of that angry energy when he had sparred against Sakura. It seemed that the pineapple brat had managed to fully bring out the Night Angel, and if the mist-nin was correct, he would pay for that with his life. Glancing over at Hidan who was struggling to his feet he nodded, they needed to get there, and get there now. If Sakura-hime killed the moron, it would hurt her, drive her farther into herself, beyond even their reach.

"Lets go, Zombie-man."

Hinata blinked in shock when suddenly both s-class nin where just gone, she had barely seen them take off into the trees. She glanced at Sai, to see him sliding his sketchbook into its bag, his normally blank face pulled down in a frown. It seemed something bad had happened between Sakura and Shikamaru, something bad enough to get the ex-Akatsuki in a slight panic,

"S..should w..w...we f..f...follow?"

Sai didn't bother answering out loud, he just nodded to the Hyuuga Heiress, before he too took off into the tree's. He knew that they wouldn't arrive in time to do anything, but maybe the Akatsuki member's would. He hoped they would, he didn't want to witness Sakura let go completely, he didn't think any of them would survive if she did. Sakura maybe a wonderful, loving person, but the Night Angel wasn't, and she was on a whole diffrent level than any of the Konoha ninja.

...

Naruto stopped mid story, his head snapping back toward where he knew Shikamaru and Sakura were fighting. Something was very wrong, and hearing the Kyuubi cackle and exclaim excitedly about 'what a lovely, violent chakra...someone's gonna die' didn't help any. He glanced over at Diedara, noticing the blond was straightfaced, all humor completely gone from his face.

"We need to go now, yeah."

Diedara destractedly noticed the red tint to the jinchuuriki's normally bright blue eyes, but it didn't really matter at the moment. Someone was about to suffer a painful death, and Sakura was going to be the one to deliver it. He may not have known Sakura long, but in just the few short days they had spent together, she had gotten under his skin. He didn't want to lose his Sakura-hime, and if she killed the stupid darkhaired brat, he had no doubt he would indeed lose her. Both blonds took off quickly, praying they reached the woman in time.

* * *

Itachi blinked once when he felt Sakura's chakra spike with a mixture of sadistic glee and anger. Something was not right, and he did not relish the thought of the pinkette going insane and attempting to kill everything in her path. He wasn't sure she wouldn't succeed if she tried, she was after all, one of the most feared shinobi known to the great nations. He glanced at his brother, who had yet to notice the rising chakra's, he would finish with him later he decided, before he disappeared into the trees.

"What the...?"

Kakashi didn't even glance at the now pissed off younger Uchiha, he like Itachi could feel Sakura's chakra. So this was the feeling of death, no wonder every living human feared her, she was truelly fearful. He had caught glimpses of this when she was younger, but then it was more like an inner strength, yet now it had changed. Morphed into something dark and seductive, it promised pain and death. For the first time he could remember, Hatake Kakashi wasn't afraid for one of his students, no, he was afraid of the one everyone had always thought of as weak. If she wasn't stopped, if whatever this darkness was got complete control, he had a feeling she would kill untold numbers of people.

"Sakura..."

Sasuke blinked in suprise when, like his brother, Kakashi ran into the tree's, he didn't really understand. Sure, he could feel the chakra in the air, but...oh...shit. He could clearly feel it now, what he felt like Sakura at first was something else, something diffrent. He had been wrong, Sakura hadn't just gotten stronger, she had surpassed them, but how. Cursing loudly, he took off after his brother and Kakashi, just what was going on.

* * *

The Night Angel watched in delight when first sorrow than defeat clouded the man's brown eyes. Finally, with an almost tearful expression, he clamped his eyes closed, too cowardly to face his own death. Night Angel let loose another happy laugh, soon he would be her's, she would killh im, claim his life and his soul.

Just when her fist was inches from burying itself into his chest, she felt something wrap around her, halting her movements. Than something twisted, and she was flying backwards through the air...someone had dare throw her. Twisting lithly in the air, she landed gracefully on the ground several feet away.

Slowly she rose from her crouch, her pink hair, falling loosly in waves down her back, he cloak swirling around her. Her green eyes looked up to take in the men infront of her, how dare they, didn't they know who she was? She was the Death, she was vengeance and retribution, she was the Night Angel, and they had just gotten between her, and her prey, she would destroy them for that.

"You dare...now you all shall die."

Shikamaru's eyes snapped open when he felt himself being yanked backwards, away from the woman who had held him just moment before. He could see Itachi, Kisame, and Diedara clearly, standing between him and Sakura. They were protecting him from her, but why? Glancing up, Shikamaru tensed when he saw a flash of purple and silver,

"You can fucking hate me, but at the moment, you might damn well want to just be fucking still. Don't want her twice Jashin damned attention on us."

Hidan never once looked toward the boy who he had pulled back, away from the others, his eyes were locked on the sight of Sakura. If Jashin were to have any kinda fucking angels of any of that shit, than Sakura would be what they were modeled after. She was breathtaking, and horrifying.

"Sakura-hime, yeah."

Diedara tryed to keep his voice level and calm, but he didn't manage it, he was actually alittle scared at the moment. Sakura stood there, her cloths tattered and torn, her hair flowing down her back, her eyes livid and almost...hungry, but she was a sight to see. She truelly was their Hime, a goddess sent down to the mortal plane to judge them all, and he could see the want for their blood, their lives, their very souls, desplayed in those eyes.

"Do not address me so, worm."

Kisame flinched slightly when the Konoha nin finally arrived, man could their timing be any worse? He really didn't want to have to fight Sakura, he was hoping they could talk her down, but in the state she was in now, she may just go into a bloodlust. With so many people around, she may just kill them all, and he wasn't sure they could stop her without killing her. And that was one thing he did not want to do, it would break his heart to kill one of the few friends he had. She had excepted him as he was, had excepted them all, she didn't judge them by past or by looks, and he didn't want to lose that.

"Kunoichi, look at me."

Itachi was mildly amused to see everyone practically holding their breath as she turned those vivid eyes on him. Yet, he did not flinch under her angry eyes, he had nothing to fear now. He could see the battle in her eyes, Sakura was struggling against herself now, trying to reclaim control, trying to push the monster away. Just a few more well placed words and she may just win, if not, than he would simply activate his kekkei genkai and send her to sleep,

"Your friend needs a medic, as does Hidan."

The Night Angel blinked in suprise at the red eyed man, was he insane, she had no friends, only the blood and death to comfort her. Suddenly she felt as if someone had opened a door into her mind, its dark recesses being flooded with a brilliant light. Something was pushing at her, trying to force her to let go, to surrender control, but she wouldn't, no she would kill them all. They would all die for this causing her pain!

Sakura distantly heard them calling out to her, but she didn't care anymore, she had nothing left, no place to turn anymore, she was a monster. Yet, than Itachi spoke, his voice level and unafraid, it pulled at her, calling her back, telling her someone was hurt, someone needed her. Hidan needed her, he was hurt, as where her friends, Shikamaru, Naruto, Kakashi, Sasuke, and all the other's, they needed her. She shivered and dove forward, fighting the darkness, trying to drive the other back, trying to regain control.

"I WONT LET YOU!"

Kakashi felt his heart shatter at the scream, as he watched Sakura double over in pain, clutching her head, much like Gaara use too. He could tell that she was fighting with herself, trying to come back from the cold recesses of her own mind, but he wasn't sure she would succeed. Without thinking he darted forward, wrapping his arms around the petite woman, clutching her to his chest,

"Come on Sakura-chan, come back, please come back, Musume."

Naruto stepped forward when Kakashi sank to his knee's, still clutching Sakura, who was shaking and thrashing in his arms. He hesitated but a second before he reached out, gently gripping her shoulder. He blinked in shock, when he felt the Kyuubi's chakra rush through him, covering the three of them for a moment, before pulling back into him. He didn't dwell on it though, not when Sakura seemed to just give up, she fell completely limp in Kakashi's arms,

"Sakura-chan? Imouto?"

Everyone flinched when Sakura suddenly threw her head back and screamed, a sound so full of pain that it broke everyone's heart who heard it. Not a one of them ever wanted to hear a noise such as that come from the pink haired woman ever again. The silence after the scream died away was almost as deafening, no one knew what to do, how to comfort Sakura,

"Sakura...I'm sorry, and I forgive you."

Shikamaru spoke in a whisper, just loud enough for the broken woman to hear, this was his fault. He was so stupid, Shikamaru blinked in suprise when he felt dampness on his cheeks, when had he started crying? He watched in shock, along with everyone else, as Sakura stuggled out of Kakashi's hold. He could see the tear's flowing down her cheeks as well, yet he didn't pause as he opened his arms to her, beckoning her to come to him.

Everyone watched in a tense silence as Sakura stumbled forward, away from her teacher and best friend. She made it only a few feet, before she flung herself forward, right into Shikamaru's waiting arms. The moment his arms closed around her, hugging her close to him, she began to sob, clutching the boy tightly.

"Itachi-san...you will take care of Sakura for us."

It wasn't a question, it was an order, that Shikamaru gave the quiet man. He knew that Konoha wasn't the place for her anymore, no her place was here, with these men who loved her. He knew that she would always protect the village, but she wouldn't have to do it alone anymore. Shikamaru met the each man's eyes, holding them for just a moment, before shifting to the next, all four looked grim faced and determined to protect the pinkette from anything to come,

"Hidan, I will never forgive you for killing Asuma, but I'll let you live, because Sakura cares for you."

Sakura buried her head against Shikamaru's kneck, she truelly was lucky, she finally had the family she always wanted. She could feel that her happyness was just over the sunrise, she wouldn't have to be alone anymore. She was willing to face anything that would come, because these people cared about her.

"Shika...Otousan...Nissan...I..."

Kakashi felt as if his chest was going to explode when he heard Sakura address him as father. It had taken him weeks after Sakura had left to realize that he was so depressed because he felt as if his daughter had left, not because another of his team had left, and she returned love he held for her. He knew what she wanted, to apologize for leaving, to tell them she loved them, that she was willing to fight and die for them, to give anything for them. He straightened from his kneeling position and strode forward to stand beside the kneeling pair,

"We know Sakura...we love you, and you'll always be a member of team seven, Musume."

Naruto grinned widly as he reached over to snatch Sai and Sasuke by the arm, dragging them over to huddle beside the pain, Hinata trailing silently behind them. Tears in her pearl eyes, as she to joined the Konoha nin around the medic nin who Shikamaru still cradled in his arms,

"Yeah, we love you Sakura-chan, you better believe it. Even though you've got a harem now..."

Diedara blinked when the Kyuubi boy threw a wide grin at the four of them at that last comment. He had just claimed that they were...Sakura-hime's...oh Gods! He couldn't take it, he doubled over in laughter, Kisame and Hidan joining him second's later. Itachi merely grunted in amusement, before trailing after the other three as they slowly approached the kneeling pair. When they heard the soft giggle escape from the pink haired woman, the Konoha nin joined in the laughter.

It seemed that things would be okay, Sakura had a family now, one that understood and loved her for her. But Shikimaru couldn't help the small feeling of dread in the back of his mind, was was coming. Uchiha Madara was amassing an army, he planned to eradicate Konohagakure, and anyone else who got in their way. He had a feeling that if too many people died, than they wouldn't be able to call Sakura back next time...

* * *

**HOLY FREAKIN COW! This totally made me cry when I was writting it...**

**I just realized I could end the story here, but I'm not going too...nope, there will be a few more chapters (not sure how many) but still some more. **

**I kinda lied I guess, there was suppose to be romance in this chapter, and there wasn't really, unless you call Itachi calling Sakura back from Madness Romance...which I don't. So I PROMISE PROMISE PROMISE, that there will be some in the next chapter.**

**And look look I didn't kill anyone, actually no one was really that hurt...but when I do the war with Madara, some people will have to die, not the Akatsuki, but some of the Konoha nin. I'll let you people tell me who to sacrifice, you have a few chapter's yet before it happens, so think on it.**

**Anyway, please Review and tell me what you think,**

**Thanks a million**

**Kyo**


	14. Distracting Kisses

**Dislclaimer: See chapter one.**

**Sorry it took me a bit to post this new chapter, I know you all were waiting for it, and thank you for being patient. I just needed a bit of time to gather my barings before launching into the next part.**

**I am thinking of splitting this up into two seperate stories, you know, writting the War with Madara as a sequal of sorts, but I want your opinions on that. This can either be one LONG story, or two decent length stories. Tell me what you think.**

* * *

Diedara fidgeted slightly, causing Kisame and Kidan to glance over at him. They were all currently sitting around the dinningroom table, each working on various diffrent things. Hidan was slowly stretching his arms, flexing the muscles in a serious of exercises Sakura had given him. Kisame was working on his third bottle of Sake, claiming since it was a tie when he fought Sakura, he didn't have to stop drinking. Diedara was working on a chunk of clay, he would mold it into something, only to smash it and start all over.

But all three were thinking along the same lines, it had been three days since the leaf nin had left, gone to report to their Hokage. Two days since Sakura had locked herself in the room they had given her, still refusing to come out. It was only today that Itachi had seemed to lose patiences, he had just left them to go and get her. They all just hoped that he didn't start some sort of fight with the unstable kunoichi.

"You think that the Hokage will send more people to try and kill us and take back Sakura-hime, yeah?"

Kisame looked up from his study of the table, he had almost been in a transe like state staring at the swirls and pits in the old wood. With a sigh and a small shrug he glanced briefly at the door, before turning his eyes once again back to the table,

"Don't know, it would be stupid of her if she did."

Hidan blinked at the shark-man in confusion, trying to keep the tension and pain out of his face. He was getting better, but it was slow, if only he could go do a ritual. One sacrifice to Jashin would heal him completely, he would be back to his full power, but he hadn't left yet. He like the other's was just too worried about the pinkette to wonder too far from the base,

"Why the fuck wouldn't she? I mean, Jashin damn it, we have tried to kidnap one of their own fucking shinobi for how long now?"

Diedara couldn't help the small smile that graced his face at the thought of the jinchuuriki. He didn't regret all the time he had spent with Akatsuki, he had learned quite a few useful things from the organization. But now that he had actually spent time with the younger blonde, he couldn't help but like the kid. Naruto reminded him of a younger and slightly stupider version of himself, and their Sakura-hime loved the kid. So that made him alright in Diedara's book,

"From what I learned from Naruto, she probably wouldn't be able to get anyone to except the mission, yeah. Everyone whose met Sakura-hime, seemes to be extremely loyal to her, they all love her, yeah."

Kisame couldn't help but turn a slightly sadistic grin at the blonde explostion expert, at the mention of all the people who liked the pinkette. Hatake had told him and Itachi something before he left, and he hadn't yet told the others, perhaps now was the perfect time to do so. He couldn't wait to see Diedara's expression,

"Apparently, we can expect a visit from the Kazekage and his siblings as well..."

Hidan felt a grin appear on his face, as he turned to study Diedara, and his grin quickly threatened to turn into hysterical laughter. Diedara had paled, his blue eyes widening in what Hidan couldn't only classify as horror, before the blonde man started choking on air, from where he had inhaled too fast,

"What's wrong Blondy, afraid that the fucking shukaku jinchuuriki's gonna have some damn hard feelings?"

Forgetting about the clay that covered his hands, Diedara baried his face in his hands with a groan. He really, really hoped that another fight wouldn't start, he didn't want Sakura-hime to beat the crap out of him, and something told him she would. Even if he wasn't the one to start the fight, she wouldn't care, she would simply end it with her fists. Oh Kami-sama, please help him...

* * *

After Sakura had locked herself into her new room, she had taken to sitting in the middle of the soft bed, her back resting against the cool wall. She ignored everyone's pleas for her to come out, she wasn't worth their concern. She was a monster, she couldn't control herself, what would happen next time.

What wouldn't happen if they weren't able to stop her, she could end up killing someone she cared about, and than she wouldn never forgive herself. No, it was better if they forgot about her, left her to her self imposed solitude. She deserved the pain that her empty stomach caused her, she deserved the loneliness that had set in.

Sakura allowed herself a bitter smile under mask, no one had tried to coax her from her room in hours, it seemed they had finally given up. That was good, that meant they realized what she was, she wasn't worth their concern, and she wouldn't be able to stand their pity. So she would stay here, in this room, until the time came to fight Madara.

Once Madara was gone, than Konoha wouldn't have need of her anymore, she would be able to vanish. She would leave the shinobi nations, find a far corner of the world, and then, and only then would she allow herself to rest. Once her people where safe, she could stop fighting, she could lay down her arms, and allow herself to surrender to the darkness.

She would allow the darkness to consume her, like it wanted to, she could feel it, the other, begging her to allow it freedom. She couldn't do that yet, not when she was still needed, not while there were people around who could be hurt. Once the war was over, and no one was around though.

Sakura jumped, her mind pulling from its thoughts, when her door suddenly opened. She vagually wondered how they had managed to break the seals on the door, but when she was met with blood red sharingan, she knew that she really shouldn't be that suprised. Of course Itachi would have no problem breaking through any seals or traps she placed. He had proven that to her the night he had been waiting for her in her cave,

"Good-evening Itachi-san."

She wondered why he was here, what did he want, was he not like the others? Had he not realised that she wasn't worth his time like they had? No, that made no sence, he would have been the first to realise such a thing, which meant he was here for her assistance in something. Perhaps someone had gotten injured and needed a medic, or perhaps Madara was moving sooner than she thought he would,

"You will stop this foolishness now, Kunoichi."

Sakura tilted her head slightly, studying the man from withing the shadows of her hood. What had she done that he was classifying as foolishness? She couldn't think of anything that would invoke him to break into her room. She simply brushed off the fact that he was back to calling her 'kunoichi', it just proved to her that he had indeed seen that she wasn't worthy of anything,

"Of what do you mean, Itachi-san?"

She vagually wondered if she should revert to calling him Uchiha-san, instead of Itachi-san, but decided that she would let him make that decision. If he wanted her to call him something else he would correct her, but until than she would continue calling him Itachi. Beside's she liked his name, it rolled nicely off her tongue,

"You have sulked long enough. Come eat."

Sakura straightened from her slouch in suprise, what was he talking about? She wasn't sulking, she was avoiding them for their own protection. Her starvation was her punishment for losing control, for almost killing Shikamaru,

"I'm not hungry, Itachi-san, but thank you for your concern."

Sakura fought the urge to press herself against the wall in slight fear, when Itachi strode forward toward the bed, and away from the door. He stopped when he knee's bumped gently against the mattress, she wondered if he was going to strike her.

Sakura couldn't stop the involuntary flinch, when Itachi reached out toward her head, but than she registered the move as being to slow for a hit. By the time her mind processed what he was doing, it was too late, he yanked her hood down. Revealing her pink hair and her green eyes fully to his searching gaze. Time seemed to freeze as he met and held her gaze, his eyes so intense it caused the other to pause in her attempts for control,

"Sakura, your fear is irrational. You will not harm anyone within these walls, you have my word as an Uchiha. Now, come eat."

Sakura could only blink up at the man, she hadn't expected so much from the normally silent man. He had just given her the equivolent of a speech, and she wasn't sure how to react. She wanted to trust him, but she didn't think she dared too. If she lost control, he would end up killing her, or risk letting her kill someone she didn't really want too,

"I can't."

Sakura felt her eyes widen slightly in suprise when Itachi once again reached toward her, but she made no move to stop him. For some reason, with him so close, the other was quiet and still. She could still sense its presence in the back of her mind, where Inner-Sakura use to be, but it wasn't doing anything. It seemed Itachi could calm the inner madness, could tame the beast that threatened to devour Sakura whole. Her mind was wrenched from her thoughts, when Itachi's hand, gently cradled her cloth covered cheek,

"Do you believe that your friend Uzumaki, or the Kazekage, are monsters?"

Sakura blinked several time's in confusion, why was Itachi suddenly talking about them? She assumed that there would be a point to all this somewhere, but for the life of her, she couldn't figure out what it would be. Inhaling his scent, that warm cinnimon and wood smoke, that never ceased to cause her toes to curl in delight, she answered,

"Of course not. It's neither Naruto, or Gaara's fault, that Bijuu did evil, they were always just along for the ride."

Sakura felt her stomach clench in anticipation, when a small smirk crept across Itachi's lips, causing her to frown. Why would that small smile cause her to feel inticipation, and what exactly was she inticipating? Before she could puzzle it out, Itachi started speaking again,

"So how can you be to blame for the action's of the Night Angel, when it is clear that you are two diffrent beings, trapped in one body?"

Sakura stared at him blankly in shock, never realizing when his other hand came up to gently tug down her mask, once again revealin her face to him. Didn't he understand, she was the Night Angel, and the Night Angel was her, they maybe split slightly, but when it came down to it, they were still the same person,

"I'm not like..."

Sakura froze in shock, her words being cut short by the presence of Itachi's warm lips on her own. When his hand moved from her cheek to the base of her skull, she melted, her eyes fluttered closed as she returned the pressure he was applying to her lips. She slowly slid her arms up around his kneck, her hands tangling into his silk black hair, when the kiss deepened, turning more passionate.

Time seemed to come to a complete halt, everything narrowing to the feeling of his lips against her, his tongue brushing gently against the inside of her mouth. The other in the back of her mind seemed to purr in contentment, before Itachi pulled back slightly. His eyes, having faded to their softer blue-black, just inches from her own,

"The other's are worried about, Sakura."

Before the flushed and stunned pinkette could think of a reply, Itachi had extracted himself from her hold and exited the room. Leaving her flushed and frustrated, her other half growling right along with her. How dare he kiss her like that, to just leave, oh how she was going to hurt him.

She would beat him, maybe pin him down, or against a wall, kami-sama knew she had the strength to do that. Than she would demand he finish what he started with that kiss. No one left Sakura high and dry like this, no one, she didn't care if it was Itachi Uchiha, she would make him finish,

"ITACHI!"

* * *

Kisame choked on his sake at the angry yell let loose by Sakura, he cursed painfully when some of it actually came out of his nose. Coughing to clear his throat, he pinched his nose in agony, finally managing to raise his head to glare through tear clouded eyes at the door. Where a very smug looking Itachi, was standing, dear kami, what did he do to the princess,

"Itachi, what the hell, yeah?"

Diedara could only blink in a mixture of shock and slight fear when Itachi began to look even more smug with himself. He looked like the cat that ate the canary, what did he do? Oh no, was Sakura gonna come bursting into the room next in a rage? Where they all going to die, because of that smug bastard?

"I convinced Sakura-san, to join us for dinner."

Hidan could only blink once, before he finally doubled over laughing, he wasn't really sure how Itachi had managed it, but he knew that the next few days were going to be interesting. He had never really liked the Uchiha-bastard, but he was thankful that he had somehow brought life back to their Sakura-hime.

* * *

**HAHAHAHA poor Sakura. I know she's kinda angsty in this chapter, but it's to be expected, I mean even though they don't blame her, she did almost kill Shika.**

**This chapter was kinda a filler, things will get back on track next chapter, the Aka will meet Gaara, and that'll be chaotic for them, but fun for me and you. So please review.**

**ANYWAY I still need ideas for whose gonna die. So far we have Kakashi doing a grand sacrifice for Saku, Sasu, Naru, and Sai.**

**Sai, Hinata, Shika & Tamari, and Tsunade. Common people, votes please, who do you love or hate from the Naru verse.**

**Thanks a million,**

**Kyo**


	15. Sand in the Grass

**Disclaimer: See chapter one.**

**I'm sorry it took so long for my update, I just needed a break to gather my thoughts. Wanted to keep it exciting and not let it drizzle out. So please please forgive me, and enjoy.**

**I love Gaara, he's like an emotionly challenged teddy bear, you want to hug him, even if in doing so you get eaten. So please be nice to him and me...****  
**

* * *

Sakura watched with a mixture of fear and amusement as Deidara and Hidan sparred, though she knew she was worrying for no reason. It was two days since Hidan had finally slipped away to do one of his rituals.

She knew that he was out there killing someone, but he promised her he wouldn't go after anyone allied with Konoha, but it still bothered her. Though, she was interested in the fact that his body was completely healed now. She had always assumed that his Jashin ritual only healed what he inflicted upon himself while within the circle, but that wasn't the case.

He had left sickly thin, and in pain, only to return a day later looking like he hadn't spent years in a hole starving to death. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes she wouldn't have believed it possible.

She smiled in contentment as she watched Hidan quickly dodge out of the way of one of Deidara's clay bombs, only to flip the blonde off in retaliation. Her smile widened when Kisame came to lean against the side of the house with her,

"Hey, Sakura-hime."

She threw a frown up at him before turning her eyes back toward the fight, she hated that they called her hime all the time, but she knew it was a foolish argument. They had all three decided to call her Princess, and no matter what she said they wouldn't change their minds. At least Itachi called her by her name, at least he did when she wasn't embarressed enough to avoid him.

Sakura swiped at an itch on her ankle, before letting her thoughts drift off toward Itachi once again. She wondered why he had kissed her a week ago, and than promptly gone back to being distant. Had he done it to get her out of her room? He didn't seem like the type, but she didn't really know him well enough to judge.

"What's wrong with your leg?"

Sakura glanced up at Kisame with a frown before turning her gaze to her leg, that she hadn't noticed she had been rubbing. It felt like someone was dragging a feather across her skin, but she couldn't see anything. She felt her eyes widen when the sensation left her leg and jumped to her fingers.

Lifting her hand in confusion she stared at her fingers for several moments, before she noticed what it was. There were little grains of sand sliding across her fingers, but how could there by sand here in grass? Oh...wait...sand...

"GAARA!"

Leaving the three ex-Akatsuki standing there looking confused, Sakura took off into the woods. She knew she would have to got to Gaara and his siblings, they wouldn't just stroll up to the house. They may trust her, but they didn't trust who she was living with, she hoped she could change their minds,

"Sakura-hime!"

Sakura glanced over her shoulder in mild suprise, she hadn't expected the three men to follow her. She didn't have time to think too much about it though, because she stepped right onto of something soft, that gave beneath her feet.

Her first thought was she had just found a sink hole, and she was about to fall, but than she smiled. It wasn't a sink hand, it was sand, and was roaring up around her, swallowing her in a typhoon. She couldn't help but laugh loudly in joy when the sand slithered over and around her body, incasing her in a cocoon.

"Sakura, what..."

She could hear the bewilderment and slight worry in Hidan's voice, and it touched her heart. But she couldn't reassure the humans at the moment, she was busy reassuring the sentient sand that she was alive and whole.

She wasn't sure how it had happened, but even without Shukaku his sand still retained a will of its own. It would always protect the red head, but in the time she had spent with the sand siblings, it had taken a liking to the medic. Sakura giggled when the sand slid across her ribs, tickling her,

"Gaara call it off, it tickles..."

She knew he was close enough to hear her, the sand never travelled far from him, never left his completely defenseless. Sakura smiled warmly beneath her mask when the sand tightened around her breifly, before it begun to retreat from her, trickling from her to slide into the shadows of the forest,

"You alright, Sakura-hime, yeah?"

Sakura threw a smile to the three men who all stood, looking deceptivly calm, she knew them better than that though. They were all ready for an attack, Sakura blinked slightly, when she noticed that they were all looking at her in slight confusion. It was than that she noticed that her hood and mask had both been pulled down by the sand.

"Sakura."

The pinkette snapped back around at the sound of that deep voice that belonged to her friend. Her smile wide and happy as she took in the red head, standing there looking cold and aloof, but she knew better, she could see the content happiness in his jade eyes. For the first time in a long time she felt as if her heart was about to explode from happiness, especially when Temari and Kankuro stepped forward to flank their brother, both smiling at the pinkette.

"Your here!"

She couldn't handle it anymore, she jumped forward to throw her arms around first Temari, than Kankuro, she was so happy to finally see them after being seperate from them for so long. Finally turning to Gaara, she watched his eyes widen slightly, but before he could back up, she had thrown her arms around him, crushing the red head to her in a tight hug,

"Its good to see you too, Pinky."

* * *

Hidan had no idea what to do, so he decided it was best to just keep his mouth shut and watch the reunion of friends. He had to admit, he was shocked to see this side of the pinkette, she looked so happy and at ease. She hadn't even been this happy when everything had been settled with the leaf shinobi, these three must be extremely important to her. He could tell that, just by watching her slap playfully at the man with the painted face for calling her 'Pinky' instead of putting him through a tree like she would anyone else.

"Oh my God, Sakura! I'm getting married!"

Kisame flinched slightly when Sakura let loose a squeal that he had never expected from her, at the blond woman's words. He was pretty sure that this whole meeting was going to be very awkward, after all, they had technically killed the red head. Yet he found that he was willing to deal with it, for no other reason than he liked to see that happy smile on the pinkettes face. The pure joy was something had never seen on those normally covered and emotionless features. When in the presence of those three sand shinobi, she was truelly happy, her smile coming from her heart, and lighting up her face,

"So he finally asked? You two have kept in contact for like what seven..eight years?"

Deidara shifted nervously when Kazekage's emotionless green eyes flicked over to him, he really wouldn't blame the younger male if he attacked him. At the moment, he would probably let the red head beat the hell out of him, he felt like shit. Yeah, he hadn't known Sakura when he was in the Akatsuki, but now that he did, he felt guilt for hurting one of her friends. From the looks of it, one of the few friends who understood the line she walked,

"We can catch up later, I'm starving."

Itachi watched from the shadows of the tree branches as the pinkette laughed happily, as she slung an arm around the painted man's shoulders. She had been avoiding him, since he had kissed her, and he didn't like it. He wasn't sure what he was feeling as he watched the woman smile and laugh, part of him was jealous that it wasn't turned toward him. Another part wanted to see that look more, she looked so beautiful with her face lit up in a happy smile, her green eyes practically glowing,

"Your always hungry, Kuro-kun."

* * *

Sakura sent a silent prayer up to Kami-sama for no fights to break out, as she slowly lead the three Suna shinobi toward the three men on the other side of the clearing. She was sure no one but her could tell, but all six of them were tense, either ready for the unexpected or with nerves she wasn't sure,

"Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, meet Kisame, Hidan, and Deidara."

Gaara met the eyes of each Akatsuki member, careful to keep his expression blank, if it was anyone but Sakura introducting him to these men, he probably would have already lashed out at them all. But the one thing he knew above all else, was where Sakura's loyalty lie, these men wouldn't try to harm him or his siblings. If they were a threat, she would have already killed them, or atleast warned him in some fashion or another,

"Hidan, Deidara, Kisame, meet the Kazekage Sabaku No Gaara, Ambassador Temari of the Sand, and there useless runt of a brother Kankuro."

Temari watched as her brother turned to glare playfully at the smiling medic, but when she turned to study the three older men, she couldn't help but burst into laughter. She could see that all three didn't know whether to take her seriously or laugh at what they thought was a joke. She could tell that these three men adored her pink haired friend, there was warmth in all their eyes as they watched the ex konoha nin. She wasn't really suprised, Sakura had that effect on people, they all naturally cared for her, or they died.

"Its okay to laugh, boys, Sakura-chan is just picking on him. They had a love-hate relationship."

Kankuro almost swallowed his tongue when three pairs of eyes snapped to him with looks so intense, he half expected to spontaneously combust. He wondered if they were all inlove with the pinkette, or if they were just extremely protective of the woman. He smiled slightly as he reached over to ruffle the girls hair, causing some to fall lose from her braid. He may not trust these men, but he was glad that Sakura finally had someone who could watch out for her,

"Lets get out of the middle of nowhere, and someplace more secure, yeah, Sakura-hime."

Deidara kept his voice light and cheerful, careful not to reveal any of the tension he was feeling in this situation. He almost flinched when all three sand siblings turned to look at him, two with amusement, and other with a blank look. He had never wanted to run so bad in his life, and not because he was afraid of them. No, he was afraid of a fight breaking out and Sakura getting hurt again, he wasn't sure she would survive the second time around,

"Hime?"

Temari couldn't keep a straight face when she questioned the blonde man about the nickname for her friend. When all three men shifted slightly in what she guessed was embarressment, she couldn't handle it, she busted up laughing once again. She thought she would never see the day when three of the most feared ninja in the world would act sheepish,

"Ya got a fuckin problem with what we call the bitch?"

Kisame cursed silently when all three Suna-nin froze, turning to stare at the Jashinist. Why couldn't he have just kept his mouth shut, now there was going to be a huge misunderstanding, and it was going, To. Be. Hidan's. Fault. His hand itched to slap the purple eyed man, but the pinkette beat him to it. He watched as she calmly stepped away from the Suna siblings, and over to Hidan,

"Hidan, honey, what did I tell you the last time you called me 'bitch'?"

Hidan sucked in his breath at that sickly sweet tone and wide smile on the pinkette's face, oh shit, he was gonna get it now. He vagually remembered her saying something about 'trees', 'ass', 'kunai' and 'balls'. He didn't remember exactly what she said, but he knew he wasn't going to enjoy it, and he was proven right. Sakura lashed out faster than he could duck, her open palm crashing against his chin, forcing his head back with a snap, and sending him flying backwards with a muffled curse.

"Sorry about him, lets get to the house."

Gaara almost smiled at his pink haired friend, when she calmly stepped back toward his siblings and himself. He allowed her to slide her arm through his, and watched as she did the same to his brother. It seemed that even though much had changed in the past few years, Sakura was still the same person underneath it all.

"Kisame, Deidara, you two can escort Temari-chan."

Sakura laughed when she heard her blonde friend giggle, and the two men stare at her, slightly confused, but she didn't wait around. Arm and arm with the brother's, she begun the trip back to the house. She knew that Hidan was fine, he was just sulking now, he would catch up when he was done. For the first time in a very long time, she felt completely happy and content, she was surrounded by people who understood and loved her. She was with her family.

Itachi watched as Sakura guided the Suna-nin toward the base, he knew they would have to leave it soon, too many people knew where it was located. He wasn't foolish enough to trust that neither Konoha nor Suna wouldn't send nin here for them later, but for now they would stay. Slipping silently ahead of them through the tree's he headed back toward the house. He wanted to be there before they returned, so that Sakura wouldn't know he had followed her.

* * *

**Okay, This is the last chapter of The Watcher. I have decided to split this into two diffrent stories, the next one will be called The Guardian, and I'll start on that tomorrow.**

**This chapter was suppose to be light and fluffy, just to draw everything to a happy conlusion. Stay tuned and enjoy the next story.**


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